Road That Was Never Ridden Before
by Joshua Chung
Summary: Parents are sending a teen to Japan, to become more disciplined; where midflight, something strange happens... you guys can skip the first six chapters, things gets really interesting when hitting chapter 7. Accepting OC's. Look at Ch7 for more info.
1. Prologue I

This isn't actually my first time writing an Air Gear fanfiction. The first time I actually wrote an Air Gear fanfiction was when I was in eighth grade, when I looked through the archive in the FF world of Air Gear. There were nothing but male having romance with other males and poor excuse of a parody. The only story I read while in that world was an Original Character (OC)-centric fanfiction known as the Lost Regalia. It was a well written fanfiction, and was one of the reason why I wrote an Air Gear fanfiction; the other reason to write a fanfiction about Air Gear was because of the stories that I was reading in the Air Gear world were, not to be mean in any sort of way, terrible. So I wrote the first, Air Gear, fanfic about the possibility of the protagonist, Itsuki Minami, learning how to ride Air Trek's for the first time. I gained a lot of positive reaction to this, but at the same time I gained negative amount of reviews on this fiction. The problem with the story was that the character was way too out of character and that the plot was moving insanely fast. Also I suffered a massive writer's block which also affected my writing. In the end I abandoned that story and never looked at it again.

My second time was actually last year, when an avid reader of the story pleaded me to try and rewrite the story. I was conflicted, should I try to do it? I was busy with my AP English class and my AP US History class, so I asked myself did I have the time to do this? Not only that but I needed to get through SAT and the ACT. Nevertheless, I gave it another go. The plot was the same, but with a different background history, and the gist that Ikki is Rika's guardian angel and that he would do anything to keep her happy, even if it meant to give up on AT's. It was full proof...that is until I stopped in a dead end track of how I was going to put this in place. Not only that, but the manga world was progressing so fast that I couldn't keep this story matching up with the original. In the end, I found myself giving this story up entirely...

Now this is my third and possibly final attempt to write this story. Now many are wondering, why now? Why focus on this story when you abandon the last two stories? Well, to tell the readers the truth, it's not a story about Ikki and his friends. It's actually my homework assignment and a reflection of my own-self. I'm going through what people call, "What the heck am I going to do for the future?" and "Your grades are so terrible that your going to fail your senior year." I was scared when my mom showed me my progress report. Everything else was fine, 2 B and one A, but what struck a cord in me was the other two grades. F's, both of them. I promised my teacher that I was going to do something about this, but I didn't know what. However an epiphany hit me, she accepts extra credits as long as I did my homework. I talked to her about my predicament and asked her if I finish my missing homework, could it be considered as homework that is turned in. She said yes. So, while I am doing my missing homework, I'm actually writing this fanfiction in order to get some extra credit.

For the people that have read my Self-Insert fanfiction, I have to tell you all that is not the real me. I'm not this annoying, cruel, beer-drinking, sarcastic punk you see in most of my self-insert fanfiction. I'm actually someone quite different in life. So when you read this fanfiction, know that this is the real me that's being presented in front of you. My audience.

I don't own Air Gear. The franchise is owned by Ito "Oh Great!" Ōgure, everything else is my own creation.

* * *

**California  
Wednesday  
November 29th**

"Finally..." I muttered as I paid the price to send my admission to the UC's, so far I sent my application to seven of the nine UC's here in California. Right now I'm just too lazy to really do anything at the moment. My face fell on the deck as I snoozed away...

...now all I need to do is to just focus on my school...

* * *

**Sunday  
December 5th**

"Two F's!" My mom screeched as she threw the report card in front of my face, "How could you get two F's in your senior year!" She demanded as I looked at the card impassively. Picking up the folded paper, I silently read what was on the paper.

AP Macro - Cross Aaron - (B-)  
AP Engl Lit - Mooney Carol - (F) = A pleasure to have in class; Homework/Assignments incomplete; In danger of failing  
Physiology H - Cheuvront Thomas - (A-) = A pleasure to have in class  
Media Wtr/Prod - Bartrom Linda - (B+) = Excellent student  
Pre Calc/Trig - Petrella Sara - (F) = Homework/Assignments incomplete; Low Test Scores

"And you think you can get into Davis with these grades!" She screamed as I looked at the report card, and back at my mother. "Well what do you have to say for yourself?

" What do I have to say for myself? What can I say for myself? I got two F's, and by the time the semester is over, the collegeboard are going to look at the semester and reject me. Hell I'll doubt that even the lowest of the lowest schools will accept me; I didn't even write any college application for any other schools. Might as well just do what everyone else does. Join the bandwagon and go to a community college, work my butts off there and transfer. It's cheaper, and more efficient, as long as I focus and do good.

But that didn't come out of my mouth, instead I looked at my mom and responded to her question.

"Right now I have a project due for Pre Calc, I don't know if it'll raise it up to a C but it'll sure raise it up to a (D-). Also Ms. Mooney said I can turn in my missing homeworks. Although I won't get credit, it will say that I turned in my homework, and that'll allow me to turn in extra credit assignments." I explained to my mother calmly. She looked at me, before letting out an exasperated sigh. "Do what you need to do to get those grades up." she said, before leaving my room with a stomp.

Once she close the door, I let out a gasp. What the hell did I do for the past few months! I thought I promise myself that I would do everything in my abilities to get A's in my class this year! How could I have gotten an F in my class? How could I have gotten an (F) in English! Didn't I want to be a writer? If that's the case then why am I failing?

My eyes began to burn as little droplet of water splat onto the paper in front of me. I sniffed in, whatever the heck that was coming out of my nose, back in as I wiped the tears with the sleeve of my checkered shirt. "Damn it Joshua, don't cry, not here. Your almost eighteen, your going to be a man, damn it don't cry." I repeated this over and over again, but to no avail as tears flooded down from my eyes. With the faucet of my tear dots broken, there was no stopping to my tears. Those F...they burned into my heart.

It's not like this was the first time I failed in a class. I failed in my AP English 11 in the second semester. I always blamed it on the death of the people that were close dearly to me. Like my pastor who helped my family and I find god in our lives. Or the girl that I had an infatuation with for the past five years of my life. Or maybe it was because of Michael Jackson. Why MJ? I don't know.

See, I'm already blaming other people for my problems. Like how I'm going to blame my PC for crashing on me when I had to turn in an important English project. Or the Red Cross Blood Drive for making me skip out my Pre-Calculus class and forcing me into a habit of just never being in that class. Oh, before you grammar Nazi try to attack me for using "I'm going to blame" instead of "I blamed my etc. etc.", I'm actually using it right because I'm going to blame it later in the future...

...or that's how I think it's used...

Maybe I'm just dumb. I'm just retarded for thinking like that. Maybe I'm just an idiot who can't grasp my current dilemma; or maybe I'm just a lazy coward, who hides in the corner like a terrified animal and only come out of it when food is being sent to me by a silver platter...

...oh god, that is me. Suddenly I felt the lunch that I ate with my family pushing back up through my esophagus, quickly rushing to the restroom I opened the door and lifted the toilet seat. I emptied out the content of my stomach as I watched the mass of white goo waltz on top of their watery floor.

Dry heaving to get the last remaining bit out of my stomach, I weakly pulled down the lever of the toilet, flushing away my morning lunch in a matter of seconds. Getting up off the ground, by pushing off the ground with my two hands, I looked at myself in the mirror. Bloodshot, red, eyes stared back at my rather tired face, bags evident underneath my eyes as I looked at the mirror with horror. Zits underneath my bottom lips.

"Gross..." I muttered as I popped them, wincing a bit at the pain. I sniffed the area around me...

"I need a shower..."

* * *

And that's all for now. I'm going to try and write this in my own pace, and right now this is suitable at the moment.

If you guys want to comment, that's great. If not, whatever.


	2. Prologue II

I don't own Air Gear. The franchise is owned by Ito "Oh Great!" Ōgure. Everything else is my own creation from my own mind.

* * *

**Somewhere in California  
Monday  
December 6th **

"Joshua, are you alright?" My aunt asked. I shoved another spoonful of my mother's seaweed stew into my mouth as I nodded my head.

My aunt and my grandfather came here to America about a week ago, saying that there here for two month for a change in scenery. My grandfather recently got out of surgery, treating his abdominalaortic aneurysm as well as his idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and only has two years to live before the pulmonary fibrosis takes his life away. My aunt have been taking care of him for the past few months before asking my mom if they could move over. So now I'm sharing room with my grandfather, whom I love...even through he farts like every five freaking minutes.

He did give me five hundred dollar allowance, so my love for him increased twice as much as it did last time.

I am the worst grandson to ever walk on the face of this small planet.

"Joshua, your aunt asked you a question-"

"I heard her." I snapped at my mother, not wanting to deal with this crap. I found out that my grades are crap, and that I might have to go to a school of crap. I really don't want to deal with another crap from my mom. Crap, she's giving me that look. That look where you know that you stepped out of line and that you were going to get an earful. I prepared myself for the worse.

"Sounds like your not having a good day." My dad pointed out as I sighed in relief. Thank god my dad stepped in before things got ugly. If there was anyone that can defuse a dangerous situation, it would be my dad. Now that I think about it, nearly all dads are tension breakers. They always know what to say to stop any fight from happening...I said nearly. I'm not going to include those stereotypical red-neck dads that instigate a fight. I don't know if it's their biology or something, but damn are they good at their job to keep everyone in place.

"You can say that dad," I told him earnestly, "I-I just realized that I have homework to do."

"Well then, you better get on it." He said as I nodded my head. Picking up the half eaten soup I walked back in the kitchen and placed the bowl next to the sink. Walking back I looked over at my mom, "I'm going out for a run." She still glared at me, but nevertheless motioned her head for me to leave. Bowing respectfully at my grandpa, I made a dash to my room.

Changing into something comfortable, while picking up my black and yellow rollerblades, I ran out to the garage. Slipping my rollerblades on, I hooked them in place before opening the garage. It wasn't even opened halfway, and I was already skating out of there. Right when I got towards the garage, I crouched and rolled, before landing on my skates; before I could slip, I kicked off with my other leg and regained my balance.

**" 'Under the Table' 320 Ground Roll to a Kick Push" **Came out of my mouth as a whisper as I continued to skate off. I didn't know when I started to skate, or when I started back to skate. Skating was like playing the piano for me, it was an on and off kind of thing. Ever since I moved up here in Orange, I couldn't skate because of the dangerous down hill that was in my neighborhood. But after I gotten that little phobia out of my system I began to enjoy the thrill of skating down a hill at high speed. Though I had my share of crashes and burns, they became my own battle scar and proof that I actually accomplish something.

Though I won't lie, four weeks talking with a lisp sucked.

I also have a habit on making own little trick names whenever I do something cool, like how I did when I rolled underneath the garage. To spice my ordinary boring life, I would try and name things that I always do like some sort of anime hero or something. Like when Naruto yells out "Kage Bushin" or Ichigo roaring "Getsuga Tensho". The difference between them is that I would name mind in between or after the move. Kind of stupid, right? Apart from writing fanfiction, this was the only other way to let loose of my imagination. My skills only gotten better thanks to the many endurance training that I had to go through for two years of Water Polo. The cardio workout that I made for myself and the constant weight training I do everyday made me more tougher and dauntless of rollerblading.

I didn't think that anything else could have beaten the adrenaline of riding rollerblades, apart from skateboard and driving. In my opinion, rollerblading is the best cardio and adrenaline pumping sport there is to do.

I'm going to cut off my thoughts here, cause I need to hop over this fence in front of me.

* * *

Author's META:  
I want the readers to know what my actual family is like, and this is a good way for me to show them what my actual family is like. Nothing like the ones that you've been reading on my other fanfic, but an actual, authentic Joshua Chung family. Nothing changed, pure raw Joshua Chung family.

I won't lie, this years highlight for me was when my grandfather was diagnosed with both the AAA and the idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Forget about the assassination of Gaddafi, Osama Bin Laden or the death of Kim Jung Ill, my grandfather's life came first over those guys. This man was the sole reason why I continue with school, not my mom or my dad, but my grandfather. I actually wanted to go to an army school because of my grandfather, but because of my grades and my phobia of serving in the military, I went against it. When I got the message that my grandfather got the AAA and the fibrosis, I forgot how long I've been crying in my room. It was so heart breaking for me. I know that AAA is something that's treatable, but the scaring of his lung was going to be the death of him. Not old age, or any other painless death, but because of his lungs.

My sadness turn to instant joy however when I discovered my grandfather coming over for the holidays and stay with us for two month. I was in joy. I instantly made a calender on what to do with my grandfather. So far, we got through a third of the activities. Too bad that gramps have to fart every five minutes or so.

Rollerblading was another past time hobby that I use to do, apart from swim and writing fanfiction, rollerblading is the next 'me time' I extremely enjoy. Most guys would go for surfing or skateboarding, I'm a rollerblader. Embarrassingly, I sometimes act out what my next chapter would be for my other stories, making other people look at me as if I'm insane or something related to that. However this is the only way for me to actually focus and do something to help me write my stories. I also do various of tricks on the rollerblades, such as grinding and flips. I won't lie though, I did get some scars while trying to learn those moves.

Author's Note:  
A short chapter. Unfortunately the next chapter will be short as well, however it'll get to a decent length when I get pass the first few chapter and the prologue, after that we'll see something happening.


	3. Prologue III

I don't own Air Gear. The franchise is owned by Ito "Oh Great!" Ōgure, everything else is my own creation.

* * *

**California  
Saturday  
December 13th**

A week went by when I got the news of my grades. Right now I came out of the shower after another ride with my rollerblades. I threw the wet towel on the floor before getting into my warmer clothes. Consisting mainly of sweats and a long sleeved shirt underneath, it was the best thing to wear while in the winter here in Southern California. Gloves are helpful too, but I wouldn't be able to use the touch screen as well as without wearing them. Especially when using an Iphone. Iphones can do everything, but it can't really do much when the person is wearing gloves, sometimes they work, and sometimes they don't; in the end, the person is forced to take them off in order to unlock the phone or got to a different page or something.

I was forced to use my nose because it was the next pointiest thing on my body that wasn't covered up.

"Joshua," I heard my dad call me from downstairs, "Could you come here for a second?"

That made me blink, my dad never calls me down...never... somewhat nervous about what my dad wanted, I cautiously stepped down to the stairs. Each step felt like a rock was being placed on my heart, I felt weak and scared. Seriously, I would have never thought that confronting my dad would be...scary. My mother, who screams like a banshee and hits me rarely faze me anymore. To hear my dad sound serious is like listening to an alien talk to another alien. The person whose in front of the alien, that's listening to their conversation, doesn't know what they're talking about. The fear and anxiety that they might be talking about you and what they are going to do to you, that was what kind of emotion that I was going through.

Trust me people, you don't want to go through those emotions. Especially if it's someone that actually that you really respect deep in your mind and heart.

I finally got to the kitchen and saw my dad, with a grim expression on his face, while my mother sitting next to him was ready to bawl out her eyes. I slowly stepped off of the wooden stairs and walked onto the marble floor, which I noticed was a lot more colder than I thought that it was whenever I walked on it for the past week. It was just cool, but today it was just hot. By hot I mean that it's so cold that my body is forcing my body temperature to sky rocket in order to make it warm. Nevertheless I walked towards my parents as my dad looked at me before he sighed.

"Sit." Immediately I pulled a chair from the side and sat down, my attention focused on my dad and nothing else; not even on my mother, or the dogs that were barking out side, or even the small, folded, paper that was on the counter.

...wait, a folded paper?

Oh crap.

"Joshua, I was asked by your mother to clean up your room, and I found this in on your desk." He said as he pulled out his glasses before picking up my report card. "Please tell me if I'm reading this wrong, but it looks like you have two (F's) on this paper."

I knew I should have thrown that damn piece of paper out of the house. I just knew that I was going to get it now.

"Well, Joshua? I'm waiting..." I looked at my mother, who shook her head defeatedly as I looked at him, and sighed. "Yes dad, that's my progress report." I told him earnestly as he stared deep into my eyes, and sighed. "I was hopping it wouldn't come to this, but it appears that I'm given no choice in this matter." he said as he got up and picked up his case. "Your mother and I discussed about how to punish you; I know that beating you physically and verbally won't do any good, so instead I decided to punish you mentally." He pulled out a small brochure like package, and handed it to me. I hesitantly opened the package...

...a Japan Airline ticket.

"Your going to Japan and stay there for a year. Alone." He explained, to my shock. Now for many anime fan's this is great! They get to go to the metropolis area of Japan and dine many japanese cuisines. They get to hang out at the maid cafe and be a pervert.

But for me? I've never been so scared in my whole life. Sure I've been left to fend for myself for a few days, but my mom did cook a meal behind for me to eat. I've never lived alone by myself, never! The thought of just staying alone in a lonely room scared me. My father noticed my expression and responded, "However we're not that cruel, so I've opened up a bank account for you. Right now I placed into your bank account about $20,000. The rest, you'll have to earn by working. Also, we enrolled you to a school, so don't think you'll be living their luxuriously."

Japan is a cool place for just the tour and all; but working and learning there is a whole different ball game! I heard rumors of Japan having one of the toughest and the most strict education policy. Not only that, but the salary of working there isn't enough for a teen like me.

Nevertheless, my father's word is law...

"When do I leave?" I asked.

"Tomorrow morning." he replied briskly as I nodded my head, picking up the ticket I walked back to my room.

I better pack up my things, Japan is going to be a boring and a hellish place if I don't pack the necessary things.

* * *

Author's META:

This is just a little plot twist to get to the actual story. I need to get to Japan and I need to get to the Air Gear universe in some way, but I really never figured out how to get there. After a lot of writing and deleting, I got this as my final product.

My biggest fear is for my dad to be disappointed in me with my current situation. Right now me and my mom are hiding my terrible grades from my father, so he really doesn't know anything about my grades and the dilemma I'm in right now.

Another thing that scares me is the fact that next year, after high school, I'm going to be living by myself and working by myself. It's scary, but at the same time, exciting. But mostly scary. I've lived in an environment where I sat behind and watched my older sibling take care of everything. In exchange for that, I protected them from getting hurt or be the shoulder that they need to cry on. Apart from that, I'm pretty much useless.

I can't really think of anything else to meta, so I'll leave everything off here. Next chapter will be the last chapter for the prologue. Then we'll enter into the world of Air Gear.


	4. Prologue IV

I don't own Air Gear. The franchise is owned by Ito "Oh Great!" Ōgure. Everything else is my own creation from my own mind.

* * *

**Somewhere in California  
Tuesday  
December 14th**

I sat on the seat, shifting now and then as I tried my best to ignore all the noises around me. This was it, my whole life was now going to be restarted in a foreign land. Sweat began to pour from my head as I took deep breaths. Damn it, I'm not suppose to be scared! No it's not the height that scares me, its the fact that I'm going to do this all alone that scares me. There isn't anything wrong right now, but when this plane lands, oh that's where it gets interesting.

First thing is first, find a place to lodge. If he calculated his savings, the twenty thousand would let him last for at least a month. So the next thing after he finds a place to stay is to find a job, and unfortunately for him he wouldn't be able to stay long because of school-

Oh crap, school. Ok scratch off the first thing on his list. First he needs to find out where the school is, and then find a place to stay; to make things worse, he needs to find a place where he'll stay close to the school so he won't have to be late. Damn, there's a lot of things that he need to do before he can really do any leisure activities. Damn it! I groaned as I slammed my head onto the pillow, feeling a massive migraine coming into my frontal lobe. Sighing, I turned to the window, hoping that would help me get distracted from the massive headache. We were thousand feet above the pure, turquoise ocean. Stretching for miles and miles and miles - moving over an endless expanse of blue.

I kind of wish that the damn ocean would just come to life an drag us down to our untimely death, it's better than staying up in the air and anticipating on-

What the hell am I'm thinking? Damn it, stop thinking on dark thoughts!

"...How's your drink?" I turned around and saw one of the cute, Asian, looking flight attendant looking at me with a smile. I looked at my half drunk drink and chuckled sheepishly.

"It's good." That was a lie. It tasted like luke water, not what I wanted to drink; especially when I'm damn nervous of what I'm going to do when I arrive at Japan. Apparently, I look over twenty one so people assume that I can drink. Its not like I haven't drink any alcohol. I mean I always mix Jägermeister and Coke to make a Jägerbomb, that's my favorite-

Crap I'm getting off topic. Damn it, stop getting nervous and focus!

"That wasn't a strong reaction." She said, noticing my reluctance on commenting the drink.

"It's not a very strong drink." Which is true, just drinking this Heineken out the small plastic cup wasn't enough for me. I guess drinking Jägermeister and other strong stuff made me tolerant with alcohol. She simply grinned as she bend down to the lower compartment of her cart, and grabbed two small mint bottle of...oh thank the lord, vodka! I really didn't care what brand it's from, nor do I care if people say that vodka are for girls. It's stronger than Heineken thats for sure.

She smiled as she leaned forward to hand me the drink. "Sh..." She quietly, but playfully, shushed me. "You can have this, but don't tell anyone about it ok?" She whispered as I gave her a toothy grin. "My lips are sealed." Making a motion of zipping a zipper, I zipped up my mouth, locked it and threw the zip in the air. She silently giggles as she pushes the cart forward to help the next passenger. I like her, I hope she comes back later...

Already feeling quite better than normal, I opened the mini-bottle vodka and poured it into the plastic, ice filled, cup while putting the second one in front of my front pocket of my sweater. Quickly, I down the drink with one go. It wasn't as strong as the Jägermeister, that's for sure, but it was better than the Heineken.

...I gotta go to the bathroom...

Unbuckling my seatbelt, I got out of my seat, and was about to walk over to the restroom...

...only to be pushed back to my seat. "Excuse me." The man said as he went pass me. Well at least he had the decency to apologize to me. "Excuse me sir?" the other flight attendants were chasing him to the bathroom as I watch the skeptical in front of me. Shaking my head the woman next to me chuckled. "He sure needed to go." I shrugged my shoulder. "Well-"

Suddenly the plane jolted. Damn, turbulence. My greatest freaking enemy in the war against my fear with going to Japan. I really don't want to deal with this, especially after I drank a shot of Vodka. Wobbling, I fell onto the seat behind me as the light on the "Fasten Seatbelt" blinked on.

**Ladies and gentleman, the pilot has turned on the fasten seatbelts sign - please return to your seats with your seatbelts fastened...**

"Terrific..." I muttered darkly as I glanced around and saw other people began to fasten the seatbelt on; one of the person that I noticed the most was the woman that made the witty comment earlier. She was nervously clutching her armrest.

"It's going to be alright." I said out loud as I gave her a grin. She looked at me, grateful that someone was willing to help her keep her thoughts out of this turbulence. "I mean, I just drank a Heineken, and if I'm not throwing up then you know that this is going to be ok."

She chuckled, grateful for the fact that there was someone that was going to comfort her through this time. "I know." She began as she slightly loosen her grip on the armrest. She sighed as she looked at the roof of the plane. "I've just never been a good flier. My husband always reminds me that planes **want** to be in the air." That made me laugh out right, soon the woman joined in with the laughter. I controlled myself before looking over towards the woman.

"Well he sounds like a very smart man." I commented as she nods her head.

"You be sure and tell him that when he gets back from the bathroom." The plane shakes again. Damn turbulence, just when it was going to get better...I looked back at the woman and frowned. She looks grim. I sighed before I looked back at her, and smiled. You know, it's funny. When I'm smiling at someone else, I get the sense that it's easier for me to focus on her fear than deal with my own. Maybe I should try that when I'm in another therapy session with my friends.

"Well until he comes back, I'll keep you company ma'am." She shot me a grateful look as my smile widened. Clicking on the seatbelt, and fastening it I scratched my head and grinned. "Don't worry, it'll all be over in a second-"

The plane jolted, I watched with sick fascination of horror as three people, and every loose object on the plane slam into the ceiling. I gripped on the armrest as I heard the woman next to me hyperventilate. It was like a rollercoaster ride; a one very messed up, not fun roller coaster ride. The beeping noise on the plane began to grow louder and louder as we shook up and down. The plane shudders violently as I looked over at the woman and force out a grin.

"Dont worry! Everything will be just-"

The oxygen mask popped out from the top.

Oh crap, we're screwed. Hastily putting on my mask, I braced myself for the inevitable. In a matter of seconds I saw my life flash right before my eyes. I closed my eyes and prayed. I prayed to the lord that we get out of this alive. I prayed to him that we get out of here-

Another jolt sent my head hitting on the table in front of me. My eyes fluttered before they closed.

* * *

"Are you alright sir?"

What? My eyes slowly fluttered open as I found myself lying on the ground. Blinking wildly, I tried to refocus my image from the bright light to the silhouette and obscure images in front of me. I squinted, and soon the image began to get clear, I was surrounded by flight attendants. My eyes focused on the one on the right, the one that gave me the bottle of Vodka earlier. I rubbed my eyes before groaning, "W-What happened?"

"You sort of fell onto the ground mid-flight." She said as I rubbed my head. "Yelling that 'Everything was going to be alright.'" I blinked before I sat up right.

"I..." scratching my head, with the help of the cute looking flight attendant, I got back onto my seat a groaned. "Y-Yeah, I think I'll be fine."

"You gave us a quite a scare there, sir." The one that handed me the vodka told me as I nodded my head. "Sound like you had a terrible nightmare." She murmured as I cracked my neck. Was that what it was? Just a dream? The...the old woman and the turbulence...was it all a dream? I looked at my left and noticed that the woman that was in my "dream" was staring at me, before turning to the man next to her, which I assume is her husband.

"U-Um..." I slowly began as I clutch my head, still feeling somewhat woozy. "I-I'm sorry if this sounds strange, but did you g-give me something? After the first lady gave me a glass of Heineken?" I asked as she blinked. She looked at me, before shaking her head.

"No, I'm afraid not." She said as she got off the floor, "I believe that this is our first time meeting." She said as I nodded my head.

So it really was a dream...

"You going to be alright?" She asked once more as I looked at her...and nodded my head. "Y-Yeah, I-I think I might just need a little more sleep." I buckled in my seatbelt and smiled. "This time, I buckled up so I won't fall down on the ground." She giggled before leaving me to my own wake. I sighed.

That was some hell of a dream. I thought to myself, as I rummaged through my front pocket to get out the...vodka...

...wait a minute...

My hand shook as I felt the familiar shape and structure of the small vodka bottle in my hand. But the flight attendant...she said that she never met me...

...then that means that I shouldn't have this bottle in my pocket.

I looked over at the husband and wife, the woman noticed me and smiled. "Can I help you young man." I blink before shaking my head. "N-No, I...I was just..." I trailed off, she doesn't remember? I had the vodka bottle in my hand, but the stewardess and the wife doesn't recognize me...

"Excuse me?" I looked back at her and blushed. "I-I'm sorry, I thought I saw something fly by you." She took the excuse and smiled. "You must be really tired, why don't you get some sleep?" She asked as I nodded my head. "Sleep, yeah, sounds like a good idea." I muttered.

My hands slowly placed the bottle back in the pocket before sliding out. I took out a pillow from the side and placed it behind my head...

"What the hell... is going on around here...?"


	5. Prologue V

I don't own Air Gear. The franchise is owned by Ito "Oh Great!" Ōgure, everything else is my own creation.

* * *

**Somewhere in Jappan  
December 8th**

...Thank you for flying with the Japan Airline. We have now arrived at the Haneda Airport. Please be careful to...

My face was, uncharacteristically, blank as I sat in my seat, staring up at the ceiling. Ignoring the uncharacteristic butterflies in my stomach I hesitantly got out of my seat, shouldered his duffle bag, and pushed and pulled against the swarm of people heading to the exit.

Stepping off the plane I walked until I got to the baggage claim, I waited for my large black bag to appear when all of a sudden something caught my eyes. A commercial add... but this wasn't the everyday, body oder deodorant, commercials that flash every now and then. No this commercial add was so different...that I had to remind myself that Japan is way ahead of us in terms of technology.

**Modern technology has allowed for the advent of a four kilowatt, miniaturized motor, no tinier than a gear; and it's especially popular among extreme sports fan, who use it to modify their rollerblades. **

I listened to the lady talk, while watching in awe as parts began to come together, creating something like a two wheeled rollerblade or something. After it was done creating, a huge, graffitied sign written "Air Trek" was smacked right on top of the skates. It vanished in a second before screen shot of Tokyo flashed in my eyes. I watched, enraptured, as three skaters began to grind on the railing.

**These daredevils push themselves to go even faster, to fly even higher. With these high-tech devices, they enter in a world of their own. Racing down the streets, riding their own rules. **

In a span of a few second, I watched at three people leaped through the air, run on walls, and leap high in the air. Never was I so awestruck in my life...well, apart from watching the latest Avatar movie. That shit was crazy. The camera span into first person as I watched what these rider go through. Needless to say, my body just tingled with excitement the more I watched.

**For Air-Trek Riders, there are no boundaries. The world is their road, and the sky is the limit. Climbing higher and higher to the heavens themselves.**

**Air Trek, get your now and spread your wings.**

The commercial finished, but the damage has been done.

I needed to get one of those. One of those Air Trek.

...wait, how much does it cost. They look fun and they sure as hell look popular. I muttered to myself as I stood there and thought about it. It's probably way too damn expensive to afford. I kept watching the commercial...and instantly paled when I saw the price for it.

100,000 yen...

Convert that into US dollars, and I'm already looking at a 1000 dollars!

That's five percent of my savings! I can't afford something like that!

With a dejected sigh, I picked up the large back bag from the baggage claim and strolled out of the air terminal. So much for AT's, damn it to hell why can't they sell it cheaper and sell the gears more expensively?

"Taxi!" I called out as the yellow cab stopped in front of me. Getting in I told him where to go.

"It's going to be a long trip." He comments as he points at the machine in front of him, that small thing that measures time and converts that into how much I have to pay him.

"Don't worry," I told him in broken Japanese as I laid on the seat. "It's going to be cheaper than AT's." He laughed so loud that it made me jump out of my seat. "You too huh? Every tourist that comes here are always so damn adamant on getting those things in their hands." The taxi driver said as he pull the stick to drive. "Well, like you said, it's going to be more cheaper than my taxi fee." With that we were off, to Shibuya.

We pass through the majority of busy people hustling about and looked around. The taxi driver didn't lie, it took us nearly an hour to get there, but the wait was worth it. My fear of being alone in this country were replaced with awe. Awe with AT's and Shibuya. The city was a place of layers. It really was a breathtaking scene to look at. Everyone back at California said that this place looks phenomenal when looking at the city late at night, but to me? It was like looking at the Creation of Adam all over again.

Subconsciously, I just loved all of the flashing signs and bright colors hung up all around the city, even if it's in the noon. The billboards, the neon signs with Japanese kanji's flashing over his head, the crowds with their wacky hairstyle and strange clothes and style, the cars moving by the passengers with honks, the noise of both the pedestrian talking about their daily lives here in Japan or the screeching noise of a car halting to a stop, and the ever beautiful sky as the night began to approach but the sun had yet to hide itself behind the massive EPSON building.

It took me a while to finally realize, that I'm finally here in Japan...alone.

"Alright Shibuya, that'll be 3200 yen." He said as I forked over the cash, "Enjoy your stay here in Japan." The man said with a polite bow before helping me out with my luggage. I blinked as I looked up at a moderate looking hotel...the guy dropped me off at a hotel, how nice of him.

Well better drop off my stuff and start looking around I guess...

* * *

**The next day...**

I walked out of the complex and turned around, giving the building a weak glare before turning and moving away.

"Another bust..." I muttered with a sigh as I sat on the bench. So far, I found out which school I was going to attend to for about a year. So after I discovered that, I looked through the Shibuya map and the internet, in an internet cafe, of which apartment complex was close to the said school. Of course, I was looking at apartment that had a room available. Now I'm just going to the apartment that I picked out to see if I can live there...

...and well... let's just say, I'm not getting favorable results.

The building wasn't bad, but the rent that was being asked for was far too much. Much higher than what was being asked for online. I narrowed his eyes as the manager had given me a price over as I had come in to talk about a room.

I snorted.

At least it was a step up from the place prior. One look at my appearance and the dorm mom shooed him out to bad mouth him that she didn't want any thugs around her complex. How the hell does wearing a skull hoodie make me look like a thug? Keeping my temper in check I simply turned around a bid the old woman a good bye as I left frustrated and annoyed.

I hadn't expected things to be easy, but it was already turning out harder than I had originally thought.

To make things worse, this is my third apartment complex...

Sticking my hands into my pocket, I pulled the map out with a little more force than necessary and opened it. The next closest location to look at was a two mile walk northwest of where I was at.

Hoping that the time it would take would cool me off I set off, mindful of the cars and people moving by.

'Is it to much to ask for one renter to accept someone without going to any problems?' I thought irritably. Hefting my duffel bag, which I have yet to sort out, I stopped as I walked towards a small restaurant. Checking my watch, I nodded as I looked at the building once more. "Guess it's not a bad idea to have a quick snack right about now."

But before I could take a step, I heard a noise...a very familiar noise. A noise of the ridge of the wheels grinding steel. Not only that, but the sound of another source of noise. It was faint but if one were to focus, he or she could listen to a small motor like engine being rotated at a high speed. Just like that AT commercial I watched yesterday. Not only that, a sharp thud followed by several rapid pounding beats of something caused me to turn around at the disturbance.

And caught sight of two widened, hazel colored, eyes flying into me.

"Wha-?" was all that I could get out as someone had barreled right into my chest. Grunting, I stumbled back several feet and teetered for a second before being able to stand up right.

Groaning, I looked for whoever crashed into me... and stopped as I found myself looking at a very curvaceous girl nearly collapsed on the ground.

...what the hell is wrong with people in Japan and their hair? Her long, light magneta colored, hair as well as that dorky looking hat obscured her face as I could hear groaning ligtly as she slowly pulled herself knees bent on the ground, as she held her head. Now normally, people would offer her a hand to help her up, but right now I had three, very stereotypical, dorm room moms push me out of their homes for stupid reasons; to add on top of that, yesterday I feel pissed because the one thing I want, that immediately replaced my want for a PS3, was almost a 1000 dollars. Add that with regular maintenance, it wasn't going to happen.

Now this girl just knocked the wind out of me, and people expect me to help her up! Fuc-

Suddenly I saw two blurs of something heading towards us, and if I read the angle right, directly where we were standing. My hand shot forward and grabbed the girl, "Wha?" I pulled her away before she could get hit by whatever the hell were chasing after her. I looked at what was attacking her...and blinked.

What the hell were these guys wearing?

"A-Are those frog helmets?" I asked as the girl simply giggled.

"Simca! Give up back our emblem!" The man roared as he slugged his hands towards the girl, who was now introduced as Simca. Suddenly my rage increased ten fold, it was one thing to touch a girl, but to hit one? that was something that I wasn't going to slide.

I immediately pulled Simca away from the attack and positioned myself at the punch, "Why don't you pick on your own size!" I roared as I grabbed the guy's arm, I heard his AT swerving, but paid no attention. Using the momentum given from the AT's I pulled him from where he was standing and slammed his head onto the metal pull. Sure he might be wearing that stupid helmet of his, but trust me, that impact is going to leave him with a massive headache by the end of the day.

"You punk!" The other one screamed as I heard him skate behind me. See that sneak attack would have worked...if I didn't learn any self defense.

"You got a pair?" I asked before turning around and punting him in the jewels. He screamed, as he fell onto the ground, but I wasn't done. Walking over to the fallen male I rose my foot...and promptly stomp my foot onto his manhood a dozen time, maybe even more than that. By the time I was finished, foam was coming out, underneath the mask.

"Y-You punk..." I turned around and saw the one that I threw at the metal pole to stand up. "Y-You think your so tough...y-you think you can beat us!" He demanded as he sped up towards me with his AT's. Grabbing his wrist, I slammed my back into his body before throwing him over my shoulders, and onto the ground, the back of his helmet being smash hard onto the punishing concrete.

Vintage judo throw, 101.

I heard him groan before he fell unconscious. How do I know that he's unconscious? Well, he's breathing lightly and I can hear the breathing from his mask.

"Hey..." I turned around and saw the girl whom I apparently rescued, smile. I blinked when she skated next to me. I guess I'm not one of your average healthy teenage boys, because the moment she skated next to me I felt pretty damn startled that she was close to me. Nothing against girls getting close to me, but I'm not much of a touchy person-

...did she just kiss me?

"Thanks." She gave me a wink before skating out of there...

* * *

"I'll take this for 140,000 cause this one is pretty well made for a custom made AT. It's also hacked, so it probably doesn't have a limiter. Since your selling me two of them, that'll make it a total of 280,000 yen." The cashier at a sporting good told, as I accepted the cash. I'm going to need all the money I'm going to need. Sure it might have looked like I was ripped off or something, but as long as it's more than the actual price of the AT's then I'm happy.

I counted up the money that I sold from those two, frogged faced bastards, as I walked out of the store. It's bad to steal, but it's even worse for guys to try and hit a girl. They got what they deserved...

...you know, I'm suppose to feel a psychological pain from stomping that guy's balls, but in reality it was very therapeutic. I actually feel great! Guess all that stress from the dorm moms was all let out on that guys balls. Not only that but I earned some cash.

...ok so I might have stolen a few thousand yens from them both, but at least I'm going to use it for good.

"So in all total, I collected about 350,000 yen in all total." I murmured as I pocketed the envelop of cash in my pocket. "I guess maintenance for the AT's cost a lot of money..." I scratched my head, as I remembered the insane amount of cash that the two guys had in their wallet. I mean who the heck carries 50,000 yen in their wallets?

I wasn't actually going to sell the AT's, but they were just so small that I couldn't even fit in them...

I scratched my head as I placed the money into the duffle bag and walked on back to the hotel, to get some sleep.

* * *

I should have done this on the first day. I thought to myself as I neatly folded the clothes and placed them in the shelves underneath the TV. It was taking me hours to do this and I'm starting to regret the fact that I have so much clothes to put away...

... but I am staying in Japan for an year, and I don't have a job yet to get money for all the things I'm going to need. So I guess it's god for me to have packed extra clothes.

"Well, at least I finished with the clothes..." I murmured as I looked at the final part in my bag. My rollerskates. It won't be the same like AT's, but at least its better than nothing. I opened up my bag further and picked out the box in which I put in my rollerblades.

"AT's, who needs them when you have rollerblades?" I muttered as I opened the box-

"What the..."

Instead of my usual black and yellow rollerblades...a black rimmed, red cover shoe with two white wheels atattched on the sole and the foot stared right back at me. Each with the number six on them...

Instead of rollerblades, I was looking at AT's.


	6. Prologue Finale

I don't own Air Gear. The franchise is owned by Ito "Oh Great!" Ōgure, everything else is my own creation.

* * *

**Somewhere in Jappan  
December 9th  
Noon**

I looked at the pairs of AT in front of him. I traced my fingers along the rims of the small ATs, and noticed how these were almost exactly like my rollerblades, the only difference were the wheels and the color. Apart from that, everything else were the same. I shook my head and smack myself to realize what I had in my hand. In my hand are almost a thousand worth of technology for sports entertainment. Air Treks...

I should probably go back to the terminal, tell them that my rollerblades were switched places with these ATs... I smacked myself yet again. These were in my bag, just like how my rollerblades were in the bottom of my bag in the same box, so it couldn't have been swapped accidentally. It couldn't have been the bags, cause my clothes are there in these bags. So it can't be because of a mistaken baggage switch...

...did someone purposely put them? Who the hell would? My parents? No they couldn't have done this. They wanted me to grow up, not be an AT adrenaline junkie. So who could have placed it in there? I was clearly confused with the fact that there was a pair of AT's mysteriously in my bag. I hesitantly picked them up, when I noticed that there was a card in the box.

Curiously, I picked up the card and read what was written in the card.

**Like Shakespeare wrote in the beginning quote of Hamlet, "To be or not to be, that is the question." I ask of you Joshua Chung, Will you be the daring, the bold, the brave? To take these Air Treks and soar like the birds? You can play safe and not ride this, but will you be the few to rise to the sky? The choice is yours to make.**

There was no name. Someone ambiguous, who apparently has way too much time on their hands.

Actually, truth to be told. I didn't know what was scarier: someone sending me a gift without me noticing, or someone knowing my name, and not giving me a name. Sounds very stalkerish...

I looked at the AT's once more...

...are they rigged? I looked in the box, and found a pamphlet. Picking it up and opening the first page, I realized that they were instructions on how to ride them. I looked at the strange gift from my mysterious benefactor and back at the instruction manual...

...one ride wouldn't hurt. It's just one ride, what could possibly happen?

* * *

Sitting outside on the stairs of an open park, I was fumbling with the right buckle of the AT's. They were pretty much the same as other rollerblades with their multiple buckles and hooks. After finishing with the last buckle I hopped off the ground, with the manual in my hands.

"Alright, whats next- woah!"

Suddenly I heard a small beep rapidly beeping as the AT's suddenly launched me forward. I teetered and wobbled before landing hard on my ass.

"O-Ouch..." I murmured as I slowly got off the ground. "Don't worry Josh, you'll get use to it." I told myself as I took a deep breath.

"Give it an hour, you'll be good in no time."

* * *

"Damn it!"

Three hours go by, and I was not getting any better. The new AT's are getting a little scuffed, his body banged up, especially his elbows. After three hours? I still don't have a freaking clue to know how to movie forward or backwards. I'm still wobbling a lot and constantly try to catch my balance by sticking my hands way out in front of me, and sticking my butt out, in a squat. Apparently in the manual, this was the basic to actually walk...damn do I feel retarded.

But oddly enough, with these AT's I can jump pretty damn high (much to my surprise). I can slide down railings, I mean I've been grinding for a while, but to jump off the end of the grind and leap in high altitudes is a whole different ball game (it really worried me how high I could go sometimes). I missed most landings, that how my elbow got all banged up (It's a freaking wonder how they're not broken at this point).

Thankfully, because of my years with rollerblading, I can stand up right. The only thing that I'm not used to is the spontaneous bursts that these AT's do; luckily I mostly stop myself because of the power slide that I always do whenever I'm on rollerblades. In the end, however, I've manage a lot of things I didn't know I could do! Hell, I'm surprised myself.

"Well this shouldn't be that bad..."

* * *

**After a crap load of time passed by...**

It really didn't take that long before I got the hang of jumping off of things and landing on another object and then jumping off of that too. While just getting to know my ATs, I already made my way around the park: flipping over seesaws, grinding off of railings, and even power sliding on the dirt.

I checked the time on my cellphone. It was getting late, it was about four thirty, or about five in the morning, I was surprised that no one has asked me to leave. It took me a while to realize that the park was "public" property, so any one could come and go as they place. I jumped off one of the floors down to the lower levels balcony and jumped up past the first, and kept going. I made it very close to one of the top floors, and decided that it would be best if I tried to just get to the top floor by practicing how to just move forward.

"Wonder what else I could do with these damn things.

* * *

**Another hour later...**

With all the pipes on and metal latters and stretchers around, it almost looked like another play ground, and that's how I treated it.

I went on all the odd looking pipes and weird twists on the roof. It was obvious that I wasn't the only one who found the roof top as a play area, the pipes were all scuffed and worn. Some of the pipes looked like they could snap at any time because they were so used up and so banged up.

Well, it's been hour's since the last time I got to sleep. I didn't make it to the hotel like I was suppose to; nevertheless, I didn't regret a single second of it.

I found a privet spot on the gravel coved roof top and laid down, and stared at the sky slowly getting brighter. Before I forget, I set the alarm on my phone that'll set off in a few hours. With any sleep loss I had, I could just make up with energy drinks and black coffee. I slowly closed my eyes and drifted off.

I won't lie, I had an amazing day.

"I freaking love AT's."

* * *

Author's Note: I was very lazy trying to do this chapter, however next one will be better.


	7. Chapter I

I don't own Air Gear. The franchise is owned by Ito "Oh Great!" Ōgure, everything else is my own creation.

* * *

**Somewhere in Jappan  
April 6th  
4:23 PM**

In a secluded place in Japan, a man was placing small white boxes in a bag before handing it to a hooded teen. Wearing a dark green jacket, that covered his maroon colored jacket, that matched with his dark blue jeans. The man looked at the hooded teen with a nod. "Do what you do best." The teen merely fixed his hoodie over his head as he quickly ran out of the premise, bumping into a person. Quickly muttering an apology he hurried outside.

"Excuse me, sir! Wait!" He heard someone call out for him, but paid no heed to their calling. The young, dauntless, teen was too excited to even pay attention to anything at all. In his eyes were all blurs, small specks that blocked his true goal, the door to the exit of the confinement. He cursed as the door was slowly being pushed for the teen.

Damn it to hell! Go faster! He needed to get out there! Time is running out! The damn door was going too damn slow! Finally it opened wide enough for him to go, as the teen hurried out of the prison.

It was empty, but when he looked out further, he saw it...a city! A city that his benefactor is telling them to meet them up with! He quickly ran to the parking lot, and into the bushes as he pushed through bushes of bush, in search of something...but what?

"There it is!" He said as he pulled out a pair of shoes...no a pair of rollerblades...no not even that, a pair of AT's! The main colors of the AT were red and black; the only exception to this were the rims and the wheel, which were white.

The teen took off his sneakers and unhooked the buckles on the ATs. Loosening them up he quickly slipped one onto his foot, and then another on his other foot. Putting the sneakers in the bushes, he began to hook the locks back into his ATs.

"Wait sir!" He heard a woman call out, but paid no heed to her warning. With the last lock clicked into place, the energetic thrill-seeker hopped onto his feet and waited for the machine to activate.

"Sir please!"

***Beep, Beep*** He stood there and, in a second, the wheel suddenly burst forward.

"Whooo!" he cried as winds began to beat on his face. Like a camera focused on one part of the area, his eyes were focused on that specific part of the area. He was moving, and he was moving fast, but it wasn't fast enough for him.

"Faster..." he whispered as he bent his knees down, the wheel's screeched as it burned on the ground; for some reason, even with this small extra pressure, the madcap was moving faster.

"Faster!" He crouched even lower, his legs now spread a bit more, in a somewhat of an awkward squat. However, even in this strange position, the speed began to increase even more. The world became a blur to him again, but this one wasn't the strange blur that he saw back at the terminal. This one was as if the world in front of him was making a road. He could see a path, among the various of concrete pathway that he saw, the one that he was riding...it was more clear.

"FASTER! His knees bent, winds forcing his hood to be blown back, revealing his lightish brown hair and dark hazel eyes. A wide grin was on his face as the rider accelerated so fast, to other people it looked as if a brown/blue/white blur had rushed by them.

**"FLY!"** He screamed; focusing every inch of muscle, neurons and bone structure in his legs, he pushed onto the ground; creating a small crater because of the force.

With a roar he leaped into the sky. In terms of an expert, A-Class, Storm Rider, it wasn't that high, but for a newcomer, it was something to be impressed about.

The teen leaped high into the sky, curling his body into a ball and flipped two to three times in the air before releasing his hold on his own body. Spreading his arms like a bird, he enjoyed the wind hitting his body, as he fell to the ground; however in that split second he curled himself again into a ball and flipped once more before his foot landed on the ground.

**BOOOM!**

In an burst of speed, Joshua exploded onto the road as he sped through cars after cars.

**Rider's Special****! ****540 Revolution to Free Bird back to Revolution to Suicide Burst!**

Left. Right. Left. Right.

He sped next to one of the car and saw a boy about five looking at him with wide eyes. The Storm Rider simply grinned and wave, before speeding pass them. It didn't get too bad, until he saw, from afar, a traffic; he was going to go higher ground to avoid the traffic...

However his devious mind began to tinker. With a determine look in his eyes, he sped towards the traffic. He sped towards the front and saw that there were indeed a traffic that held everyone up, no one was going to pass by...or were they?

"Alioop!" The Rider leaped over three cars before landing on the roof of one of one of the cars, before jumping again; the only evidence that he was on the car was the small dent on the roof, which he continued to make cars over cars. He continued to jump over them until he was on a truck, to which he sped up towards the front and leaped again, this time he leaped over more cars; hell, he even twirled over a few trucks while in the air.

He landed gracefully onto the ground before speeding up towards the front, where traffic began to break apart. The rider laughed as he heard the honks behind him, ignoring them as he continue to skate towards the city. "I freaking love this job!" he exclaimed as he pulled his hoodie back on his head. He knows that the wind will blow it off again, but he still has an image to maintain.

The teen finally made it into the big city as he took out a small piece of paper in his bag, "This is the place." he muttered quietly as he swerved right and then left into the wall. With a quick twist, he turns himself, slides his right leg in reverse to ride backwards, places his left AT on the wall and immediately shot up in a ninety degrees angle.

**Rider's Special! Orbit 180 to Wall Run: Eifel Tower!**

The teen gently landed on the railing, as he looked inside the window and groaned. It was messy in there, boxes everywhere, and critters of all kind roaming about. He gulped, but nevertheless, sucked up the disgust in his stomach before knocking on the window. It didn't take long before a large man walked over.

"Yeah?" he asked as the male Storm Rider took off the bag that was on his shoulder, opened it up he revealed three white boxes, each of them very warm...

He opened one up to reveal...pizza?

"Three Roman Style BBQ Chicken special. Perfect condition." I told our customer with a cheeky smile. The man looked at it before he grinned. "Wow! It really is in perfect condition, and you came here just before the game!" He said as he quickly rummaged through his pocket. Wipping out a massive wad of cash he shoved it right into my free hand before taking the pizza.

"Keep the change, dude!" He said before closing the window.

Another day successful with the Italiano Pizza Express, Joshua Chung style.

* * *

It's been four months since I got here. The first month was actual hell, from trying to find a decent place to stay to getting to school on time. It was just terrible; and even after four months, I wasn't able to really find a decent place to stay at. It just sucked.

To make matters worse, the account that my dad set up for me? It was gone, like legitimately gone! I wasn't able to access it, nor was I able to really get anything there! All I had was the 350,000 yen that I got from selling the AT's and mugging the unconscious riders, clothes, the lunch that I bought earlier, a mini-bottle vodka (Which was still unopened), my Mac Book, and the AT's that I'm wearing right now.

So I had to do something fast, I had to do something that I was good at!

...and that's where I hit trouble, I found out that there was nothing that I was really good at. I mean sure I did some judo and muay thai for a while, but it's not like I'm going to be in a UFC ring any time soon. I'm pretty good with Physiology and Bio, but what parents would want to hire a hobo like me? So what could I do?

Then an epiphany happened, while I was learning to run with my AT's (To which I was still having troubles with). I somehow ended up in a commutative part of Tokyo, where an Italian immigrant was making pizzas for a living. The problem was the location and the distance of the place, his pizza hem was, pretty much, in an isolated area; the only way for people to really get their pizza was to either drive up there or wait for at least an hour or two to get it (Which no one was willing to do).

And it was a real damn shame too, cause his pizza was the authentic Italian pizza, not one of those Pizza Hut/Domino like pizza. An actual, authentic, stone oven, pizza! So I made a deal with him, give me a good pay and I'll deliver his pizza from left to right...that was...after I learned how to run on these anyways. It would have took me another month to learn to run, but when he showed me the number that he was going to give me?

They say that money drives the world, well it sure as hell drove me to learn to run in three days.

It wasn't easy either to make it popular, so I had to utilize everything that I know about commercial business. First I made the place a website. Then I copied what other business did to make their place popular; I took the idea of ordering online from the Domino Pizza; took the idea of make your own Pizza online from Pizza Hut, and finally making various of Ads online to be posted up on other websites.

It didn't take long before customers began to post online orders that were immediately sent to my Mac Book.

"Bocchino! Two Tomato Paradise with Calzone!" I told my boss as he quickly began to make a batch. Right now, our business has never been as busy as before for the last two months. Hell, I had to post up job wanted posts online! Even after that, were still overwhelmed with the orders! Bocchino, my boss, already have burns on his hands as well as blisters from overworking. I'm constantly charging up battery packs for my AT's every now and then, and every return I switch a pack. If I have the time I'll try and do maintenance with my AT's with the spare parts around the place.

"How are you holding up there?" I looked over to my left and saw my female co-worker, Arisu, ask me a question with worry. One word for guys to say about her? Damn. There were more than a few nights where she had the starring role in my 'dreams', and a few fun sessions with her last week, but believe me, there was a reason.

At just under six feet, her body was long and solid. Far from being sinewy, her length only gave her curves more room to entice with. A pair of light blue jeans held to her long legs tightly, and the fact she sat down and hid that gorgeous ass from the world was a crime. A thick blue sweater did little to hide her large breasts, whose outline inside them was enough for blind people to spot. There was always a brightness to her face and a wide smile. She wore her bright red hair long, though it was tied up into a loose bun for the sake of keeping it out of the way, even if it curled like mad.

She and I would have a fling here and there, especially whenever we have the time to do so. But right now? After a few trips around Tokyo?

I simply cracked my neck to the sides to show her how I'm holding up. Taking off my AT's, I began to look at the wheels and groaned. Looks like I'm going to need to go to the Glum Slum soon...

"That bad huh?" She asked as I showed her the wheels, she winced, "Yeah, looks like it didn't hold as long as you thought it would..."

"Grandma did a hell of a job giving this a hell of an upgrade, but I'm going to need to try and fix up the torque of the wheels to match up with the velocity of it." She blinked. "What?"

"Physics, get a textbook." I simply told her as the boss rang the bell.

"Honolulu Fiery Passion done! Meat Combo done! Tomato Paradise and Calzone done!" My boss called out as I quickly placed the order in the bag and skated on out. She simply gave me a wink, I merely rolled my eyes before leaving the store to deliver the food.

* * *

I groaned, while tying my uniform jacket around my waist, as I finally arrived at my slightly run down complex in the middle of a working class neighborhood. If I were to bring a girl here, I would feel pretty embarrassed to have to admit to her that I lived here. Since that's not the case, I didn't mind my living conditions at all. I opened my door as I walked into the room. It wasn't much: A bed, desk to work on, a bathroom in the other side of the room with the kitchen on the other side. There wasn't really anything spectacular about the room...

Putting the AT battery pack in the charger, I hopped onto my bed, not bothering to even take a shower. I'll brush my teeth in the morning.

But...for some odd reason...I felt like I forgot about something...

* * *

I had fallen into a very pleasant sleep when a pounding on my front door woke me up. "Joshua! This is the land lord! I heard AT noises when you were coming up here! You had better not have AT's in there or it's a violation of your lease!"

Oh...crap, my crappy land lord. Panicked, I was quickly putting away any evidence that might relate AT wise, including the smallest bolts that were on my desk, as I quickly hid them in the bathroom. I shut the door close, then quickly drank a couple of water before opening the front door. "Morning." I tried to sound like my bored self, but its really hard to do so when this old fart was glaring the hell at me.

The bald middle aged man looked around the small apartment suspiciously. "Do you have AT's in here?" He asked bluntly.

"Of course not land lord," I replied while trying to act very tired and lazy. "Do I sound like a guy that would ride AT's around here?" I asked him as the man took a couple sniffs. "Why do I smell petroleum and...?"

"Ah… that's probably my new deodorant." Smooth Josh, very smooth. Before anything be said could be said we heard rapid beeping noise...the sound of my AT battery packs being completely charged. Crap.

"What's that noise in the bathroom?" The older man demanded.

"My new alarm clock…"

"In your bathroom?" He demanded, as I rolled my eyes. "Its really loud, and if you can hear it from there then it's doing it's job to be really loud-"

"_**Your AT batteries are charged," **_a female voice sang out. "_**Please remove the batteries."**_

"Oh sonuva-!"

"Be out of here within a week!" The man slammed the door shut.

* * *

"Great." I muttered to myself as I looked up various of address that had available dorms that I can stay for a year. Damn it to hell, how the hell did that old fart hear the grinds last night? They weren't that obvious were they?

I sighed as Bocchino told me to deliver his next batch, I continue to type away while ordering one of our newer workers to do it. Right now I'm not in the mood to deal with anything right now. Stupid old farts and their superhuman ears. Damn it, how the hell did he hear the grinds? Was it really that obvious?

"Trouble in Paradise?" I heard Arisu ask me as I ignore her, "Come on, tell me what's going on-" She stopped as I felt her breath touching my ear, it would have been a tease if I wasn't too focus on being pissed off with how the bald guy kicked me out.

"Your looking for a place to stay?" She asked as I sighed, "I got kicked out of my apartment this morning." She blinked.

"What for?" I pinched the bridge of my nose as I scrolled down on my latest search. "For having AT's in my room."

"That's stupid."

"Regardless of what is stupid and what is not, the fact remains that I don't have a room anymore."

Joshua there's no reason to be worried at all," Arisu told me with a purr. "You're more than welcome to come live with me at my place." I actually stopped, and turned around to see her with a smile; I won't lie, it's really tempted to take the offer. Especially if it means to have another session with her, but I shook my head in the end. "Thanks but no thanks."

"Why not?" She asked, surprised. "I would have thought you'd have jumped at the chance to come live with me."

"I want to, but with your grandparents?" She stopped, before wincing, "Good point."

"Not only that, but I doubt that you even have room for someone like me in your home." Arisu sighed, realizing the problem was bigger than she thought. "All right," she said. "So, I can't give you a place to stay. Would it be all right if I, maybe, brought you somewhere you could get a new place?"

That...doesn't sound too bad...wait.

"I-"

"You go to Yoshiro High School, I know, and luckily for you, the place is really close. In fact, it's so close that you don't even need your AT's to get there." I blinked, before grinning.

"That would be great," I said joyfully as I closed my laptop. "So where is this place that you have in mind?"

"It's a particular dorm house, the Noyamano Household."

* * *

Trick info:  
**  
Rider's [Joshua Chung's] Special****! ****540 Revolution to Free Bird back to Revolution to Suicide Burst: **The rider leaps into the air and flips forward, with intense speed, three times before free falling towards the ground. Right before the rider falls head first, the rider curls into a ball and transition with a flip before landing on the ground with his feet; and, in a burst, speeds off into a dash.

**Rider's [Joshua Chung's] Special! Orbit to Eiffel Tower: **The orbit is A trick where a rider slide a leg backwards to revolve their body around the other leg which acts as a pivot point; after which, he transitions into the Eiffel Tower, which is done only when the rider is facing backwards. To execute, the rider puts a leg on a wall with the feet pointing directly ninety degrees up and pushes forward and downward at the same time which launches the rider into the sky.

Author's note: This is what everyone, well some people, are waiting for...the OC Submission. Now before anyone starts sending OC's I have to tell you this, I'm only accepting a limited number of OC's; small amounts too. Like the maximum I'm probably going to take is like four to five OC's.

Also the OC must follow the following requirements:

1) No sues, sues will be shot down. No questions asked.  
2) Everyone is starting off as an F-Ranked rider, you can have previous experience with them but you will not be starting off as a high ranked rider. So no king or queen status.  
3) Make the bio something that's worth something. Sell it! Make me feel that this character is a character that I would definitively love to use!

Name:  
Age:  
Apperance: (You can send an link to the image, but it'll be better if you describe them to me; include height, hair, color, eye color, anything that'll show me that they're different and stuff)  
Sexuality:  
Gender:  
Biography: (Think of this as a college essay, your trying to impress the people at the college with the character's life story and what made them get here and how that shape the person that they are. Half assed and it'll immediately be rejected.)  
Personality:  
Road:  
Run Style:  
Tricks:  
Air Trek:  
Optional:

You can post it in the Review or send it in a PM, both will be reviewed.


	8. Chapter II

I don't own Air Gear. The franchise is owned by Ito "Oh Great!" Ōgure, everything else is my own creation.

* * *

**Somewhere in Japan  
Time: ?  
Date: ? **

It was dark, and cold. Was it supposed to be so cold? Where were the servants of god, Buddha, Allah or the seventy-two virgin women that he was told about when he died? Wait died? Why does the person feel as if he died? It must be because there's nothing here but the dark abyss. There's absolutely nothing. In fact, if one were to say that this is hell, then hell would be a boring place. However, in a world that the individual would do nothing is something terrifying. It's terrifying because there is nothing that the person can do except wait in this dull, cold of a void-

"OOOOOoaaaaaaah..."

...and I completely ruined the moment with my yawn.

I rubbed my eyes as I looked up to see a full green bar, blue bar and a partially filled yellow bar...that's going up for some reason-

**LEVEL UP! Joshua is now Lv. 14!  
+2 HP  
+2 Speed  
+3 Strength  
+5 Stamina  
+2 Jump**

**Joshua's Stat**

**HP: 125**  
**Speed: 52**  
**Strength: 12**  
**Stamina: 51**  
**Jump: 58**  
**Air Time: 30 seconds**

I blinked as I looked at the stat while, for some odd apparent reason, the Scott Pilgrim's version of Fountain Fairy, that's played in many Zelda games, played in the background. The stat screen vanished as another blue screen popped out. It read:

**Joshua earned 8 Skill Points, would you like to save them or use it now?  
Yes/No?**

I scratched my head, not knowing what skill points are. I should be thinking critically right now, but for some odd reason, this doesn't seem that important to met. I shrugged before pressing yes. The blue screen popped before another screen showed up; listing out three options for me.

**Stat Increase  
*Boost your stats to higher levels  
****Trick Points  
*Boost your Trick Points in order to utilize more tricks  
****Cash Exchange  
*Cash in your points for yens to use in the game**

...is my life based off of an RPG? If so, then it's really no surprise that I got two F's in my progress report; and what's up with this limited grammar structure that I'm reading here? Also, colloquialism? Seriously! I thought that it'd look more professional since it's an RPG like style...well, whatever.

I clicked on the stat increase, because my strength is just utterly ridiculous. I mean, the rest of my stats are over fifty for god sakes! How can my stat be this low? The stat screen emerged again, but this time with pluses and minuses next to them. I scrolled over to the strength and immediately placed all my points into strength, and watched as the stats began to change...for the worse...

**Joshua's Stat**

**HP: 125**  
**Speed: 52 - 4 = 48**  
**Strength: 12 + 8 = 20**  
**Stamina: 51 + 4 = 55**  
**Jump: 58 - 8 = 50**  
**Air Time: 30 seconds**

That did absolutely nothing! most of my stats dropped! What the hell! I immediately got my eight points back and watched the stats go back up again. Ok, let's think this out. Why did some of my stats drop? How come I got worse instead of getting better? I looked at the stats...before trying something different. Each stats combinations I did started to make sense. After my fifth time I finally got the gist of the point system.

Speed would increase...well speed, also it gives me benefit on my jump. However, the cost is that my strength would drop significantly, as well a my HP and Stamina. Strength...well we saw how that worked out. If I boost up my stamina, I'll boost up not only that but also my HP, however my speed and stamina would drop. Jump would increase that and stamina, but decreases HP and speed.

So in the end...I decided that stat change is something that I should do later. After I get enough points to balance it out.

I exited the screen and went back to the other options...

...let's try Trick Points.

I pressed the option with my hand as the screen vanished, revealing the following:

**Under the Table: LV 2  
****Kick Push: LV 2  
Revolutions: LV 8  
****Free Fall [Bird]: LV 4  
****Suicide: LV 1  
*****Suicide Burst: LV 4  
* {AVAILABLE}  
- {AVAILABLE}  
- {AVAILABLE}  
- {UNAVAILABLE}  
- {UNAVAILABE}**

And the list went on, I looked at the options and saw stars next to them. Under the table and Kick Push were half way filled, and Revolution was filled up, as well as Free Fall. Suicide was the only one star that I had, which opened up Suicide Burst-

Hang on...what's this?

I clicked on the empty spot below Suicide Burst, which opened up another window.

**Unlock Reverse Hangman? **

That instantly brought my hand to a yes. Maybe it was because of the hangman reference, or maybe it's because of the awesome name that was given to it. For whatever reason, I just clicked yes.

I watched as my skill points dropped to six as three more stars appeared below other options. The Reverse Hangman popped open as the LV 1 appeared next to it. I tried to level it up, but to no avail... looks like I'm going to have to practice it in order to level it up.

I looked at the other three stars, before deciding against it. I want to try and get more skill points in order to raise my stats.

I exited the screen as l dissolved into motes of light and floated away...

...eep.

...beep...

...**beep**...

...**Beep**...

...**BEEP**-

* * *

"Sonuva-" I cursed as I shut off the alarm that was next to me. No people, I didn't smash it, toss it or do anything that'll make the reader look at the alarm clock with distaste. I don't care how other authors are mutilating this non-animate object, it's not going to be the death of the character.

In any case, I yawned as I opened my eyes. Orange bands of sunlight streaked across my face from my window. Using my hand to block the rays of light from my eyes, I groaned as I tried to focus where I'm at. It was the early morning hours and I was lying on a bed. Looking around it was the usual, average looking bedroom. With the bed, desk, bookshelves and a closet, there's really nothing much to say about this room. My bags laid on the side, still yet to unpack.

I don't remember much of what happened last night, all I know is that I had some whack up dream that was more trip than watching the Lakers get their butts whipped this season...man, Lakers got screwed over in this seasons draft pick. Worse thing about it, is that I rarely remember last nights dream!

And I was pretty sure that it was really important! Darn it! I'm not sure, but due to the bumps on my head, I'm thinking something must have happened last night when I was riding AT's or something... there was something else...something about this place...

Oh right! The place that Arisu recommended me a week ago!

I looked around and scratched my head. Ow! I scratched where the bumps were. Bad idea. Anyways, my assessment on the place. The Noyamano home is actually a cool place for me to stay at; it has all the thing that I need! Free Wifi, food and lodging, shower, and a whole lot of pipe lines and railings that I can use to grind! I'm really glad that this place is close to the high school, meaning I can sleep in for another hour or so and still make it on time.

My dorm mom and dorm mates were, to say the least, funny to watch. Apparently, the dorm mom is a twenty-one year old, MILF, Rika Noyamano. Why is she a MILF? Well first off, she has one of the best asses I've seen in my life. I thought that Arisu took the title of having the best bod, well I was wrong. Rika, when I first met her to rent a room here, was wearing tight jeans that made me curse and bless the person who invented tight jeans. Curse because I had an erection when looking at her, and bless because...well, did you guys see her ass? I mean, damn. D.A.M.N. Damn.

...am I that hopeless to be fascinated with asses?

...damn.

Well anyways...where was I? Oh yeah, the dorm mom and dorm mates. Well Rika has three younger sisters that were... violent, to say the least.

The second oldest in the family is Mikan Noyamano. Surprisingly, she's a year younger than me and goes to the same school as me! I rarely talk to her at school so I don't know much about her, but when I saw her at the dorm...I can say this, at least: she is the most violent of all of the people in this dorm. About five inches smaller than me, not busty like Arisu but curvier than most other girls; two things that stood out were her short, light, messy, electrifying magenta hair and her unusual dark grey colored eyes. I can't see any real connection with her and Rika, apart from the ass-

Damn it, there I go again with the ass thing again...

Back to the family. The third oldest was Ringo. She was eight inches shorter than I am, if I remembered correctly, she was about three years younger than me...

Wait...holy crap, she's fourteen, and she has that kind of a body! Damn girl, what the hell are you eating to get those boobs and hip curves? God, what did you drink in order to give this poor fourteen year old girl a body that'll be raped by people?

Bad brain, stop thinking about perverted things with the family! Well, in all honesty, apart from the hip and ass, I don't see any resemblance with her and Mikan, or her and Rika. I mean, Rika has brown hair, and Mikan has pink hair. Ringo eyes were dark blue and her hair color is reddish-brown, oh and her hair was usually kept up in two pig tails (not really important really).

Also, her personality is a complete contrast with Mikan, she was the calmer one of the two. With her calm personality, not many people would really expect people to believe that she's funny to watch. Well I wouldn't know if I can call it funny, or sad, but the thing was that she had an obsession with a boy that lived three room down from mine.

His name is Minami Itsuki, or Ikki for short. The guy was the same age as Ringo. He was the...average guy in the family, in my opinion. No crazy hair color or anime thing that makes Japan what it is. He was about an inch taller than Mikan; with black spiky hair and brown eyes, the guy reminded me somewhat of a crow. The problem was that he was an idiot; I mean, sure, I have two F's, but at least I try in school. His grades were deplorable and his tests showed the results. His study habits were not good and he only did things that interested him.

Besides that, he was a major hothead and an arrogant S.O.B. He was allowed to live at the house, due to a family friend. The real entertainment came from this guy because he was constantly in trouble with everyone in the house.

The last sister was a little girl named Shiraume or Ume for short (No pedo here). She was ten years old, and was the runt of the family, but at least she's taller than most kids that I've seen back at California (Again, no pedo here). For me, I found her the easiest to get along with (Seriously, no pedo here). She kind of reminded me when I was at her age, mischievous, uncaring about the general subject and, most of all, having fun (Just in case if you guys rant on me, no pedo here).

All in all, it was a place that I can easily stay in. The best part about this place is that the place always had something going on. It was actually entertaining to see how much trouble Ikki could get himself in; to make it more funny, the young teen deserved it to. A lot of the things he did were just plain out stupid. Heck, even I found myself putting him in a submission hold on some occasion for just being annoying. He calls himself "Baby Face" at school, and apparently is unbeatable.

Good luck keeping that title when we're all putting him in various of submission maneuver.

Finished with the shower, I dried and washed up before looking over at the clock while flossing my teeth. Seven o' clock, I have about an hour before I have to get to school. I guess I have time to make breakfast, read the morning news and get to school. I got dressed for school, the standard black uniform that those Japanese students have to wear, as I walked downstairs while fixing my hair.

Rent isn't so bad, about 35,000 yen per month (which is about 450 dollars per month). Usually I have to cook my own food, but occasionally the family would make me a bowl of rice and miso soup before I go out. Today wasn't that day, I'm usually the one that's up the earliest, meaning I have to make my own breakfast; I walked up and plugged in the rice steamer into the plug. Pressing a few buttons, and making sure that theirs rice in there, and water was at the right level, I activated the machine. I'm going to school with Mikan, and the whole family is housing me; the least I could do, while making my room clean, is preparing rice for them for breakfast.

"I doubt the family will choke me for using some ingredients from their fridge..." opening up the refrigerator, I took out the eggs, ham, cheese, and a whole bunch of other vegetables from the kitchen and laid them on the counter. While on my search for the necessity of my breakfast, I picked up a knife and a fork, as well as a bottle of ketchup. After minutes of searching the frying pan and cooking oil, I turned on the stove, placed the pan on the iron and sprayed the oil on. It wasn't long before I heard the oil sizzle.

_To put my mind to bed_  
_This ringing in my head_  
_Is this a cure?  
Or is this a disease?_

I sang as I cracked the egg open and poured it over the pan. Using the fork, I popped the yoke and spread it all over the frying pan. The crackling sound was pure music to my ears, hell I couldn't help but to dance around the kitchen to find the knife. Opening up the shelves I picked up one of the larger kitchen knife and began to chop away the veggies.

_Nail in my hand,_  
_From my creator_  
_You gave me life now,_  
_Show me how to live_

Repeating the chorus, I slice-and-dice the vegetables into small pieces before I went back to my egg and flipped it over, letting the other side of the egg cook. Going back to my other ingredients, I placed some hams on the cutting board and cut them with amateurish accuracy.

_You thought you made a man,_  
_You better think again_

I point the knife to the empty audience, before I twirled it in my hand and went back to my cooking.

_Nail in my hand,_  
_From my creator_  
_You gave me life now,_  
_Show me how to live_

Placing the cheese onto the egg I grabbed a plate from the top cabinet and gently placed the egg onto the place. Lowering the temp on the stove I threw in the ham and veggies into the frying pan, and stirred it with the two wooden spatulas. Half a minute later I turned off the stove and placed the cooked food onto the cheese covered egg. Using my knife and fork, I neatly covered the food with the egg and sprayed the ketchup over it.

It took a total of six minutes to finish my beautiful omelet. The omelet that's going to go in my stomach in just a few seconds. I was about to dig in when I sensed something missing...

I slapped my head, how could I have forgotten about it! I can't enjoy my omelet without my glass of OJ! Placing the fork and knife next to the plate, I walked back to the fridge and found a carton of Orange Juice.

Seconds later, with a glass of orange juice, I was walking back to eat my warm omelet-

Wait a minute...I see my fork, and knife; the glass of Orange juice was in my hand...

...but no omelet...

"That was a nice breakfast!" Walking right behind me was none other than my dorm mom, Rika Noyamano, who was washing the empty dish with a smile. "I didn't think you could cook Josh!" She told me as she turned around and smirked, "If you cook something nice every morning, I might just drop your rent a bit."

I don't know whether to smile that my dorm mom would drop my rent, or to cry to see my omelet to be devoured...how does she even finish the damn meal in that time frame? I simply looked at her...and sighed.

"Do we have anymore miso packets?"

* * *

"Bocchino, two large pizza and ten pieces of knots!" I read the order as the italian pizza maker began to roll up the flour. I quickly brought up the AT's and unscrew some of the bolts on the wheels to replace them with better and sturdier ones that I managed to get my hands on. I wasn't able to have the time to actually do the maintenance back at the Noyamano's because of school and stuff, so I had to hold it off after school and got to work.

How I got to work was relatively simple, I asked Arisu to give me a ride to Bocchino's place. No, I didn't ask her to carry me piggyback on her AT's, she has a motorcycle. She uses her AT for work, saying that she doesn't want to waste time with the battery charging stuff.

Finally getting the last bolt out of the wheel I took out the actual wheel to see what kind of bolts I needed to-

"Oh damn..." I muttered as I looked at the wheel, they were a wreck, the middle of the wheel were torn and ruined.

"Seriously?" I asked myself as I looked at the ruined wheels... before looking over at my co-worker. "Hey, Arisu! Stop flirting with the new guy and come over here for a sec." I heard her giggle as she skated over, when she saw the wheel, she immediately winced.

"Wow...that looks bad." She bluntly pointed out as I scratched my head sheepishly. "That's why I called you over, I was going to ask if you had any spare wheels." I asked her as she looked at the wheel.

"I do have a few, but they're back home." I slammed my head onto the table. Of course it'll be back at home. I mean who, in their right mind, would actually bring their AT stuff at work?

...apart from me of course. I heard her skate away before groaning, looks like I'm going to go back in the kitchen to wash stuff today-

"Josh!" I lifted my head up and looked over my shoulders. Arisu was covering her eyes with her two hands, acting as a poor helpless maiden who is crying for some...odd apparent reason. "Tell Jouichi that a positive attitude is a good attribute for any work." I blinked and looked over to the said "Jouichi".

The said "Jouichi", is a black haired, brown eyed teen; and although he's uniformed in a size quite larger than he is, I could tell that this guy is an athletic person. How? Well, apart from the square jaw, his hands showed many vein popping out, showing that he's very strong and does a lot of outside activity and not being a hermit. How do I know this? Well I did get an A on Physiology, so noticing something like this is easy for me.

"Jouichi, have a positive attitude." The newcomer looked at me with disbelief. Boredom, yes, but still disbelief. "This is coming from a very bipolar girl who has the tendency to unconsciously be a tease for everyone?" He asked softly as I blinked...

"Good point. Arisu, leave him alone."

"But Josh! Customers like workers that smile!"

"But I'm not working right now, am I?" Damn, this guy can sure find ways to make the situation in his favor.

"B-But-"

"Look Arisu," she turned to me with an adorable pout. Unfortunately for her, it's not working. "We're all tired, and Bocchino hasn't finish making the pizza. So while we have the time, let us relax?" She merely sighed as I looked at the wheels and sighed. "Bocchino!" The manager looked over at the table as I picked up a helmet, "I'll be back, I need to get new wheels for my AT's." The italian merely shrugged.

"Just-a be back in-a hour, yah?" I merely outstretched my hand over to Arisu, who handed me the keys to her bike.

"No problem boss." With that, I rushed outta here; after all, time is money!

* * *

I screeched to a halt as I turned to key to shut off the engine for the bike. I checked my wallet if I had enough cash for the trip before getting off the bike, before kicking the bike stool to keep the bike upright. Pocketing my wallet, I strolled over to the store in front of me; a sports shop, called Mamurasaki Sports. The shop was a general sports seller. It had the basic equipment to get you started on what you could do and shenanigans like that. They even sold ATs and the basic parts for it.

It was going to be a while before he can go to the Glum Slum, so he might as well get the cheap ones before changing them later at night.

I walked around the store, before picking up a box for the rear wheels that were busted before walking up to the counter. It wasn't a while before the cashier walked up to the counter.

"Hey Josh!" I heard a jolly voice call out behind the counter as I looked up and scratched my head. The cashier was definitively a female; if the voice didn't do justice, then her clothes will. The clothes that she wore were rather skimpy, almost making her look like one of those hookers that we see on the streets. Wearing a large long sleeved shirt, that looked like a modified school girl outfit, the collar of it was green with white pin striping on it. That doesn't sound like a hooker? Well how about this? The shirt barely passed as legal dress wear, just barely covering some vital parts; tell me that's not a sign of a hooker?

Sometimes I wonder exactly what the heck she's wearing underneath it; actually, here's a bigger question. Is she even wearing anything underneath?

She also wore a pair of ATs, that looked more like sleek green boots, as the girl slowly skated towards me. Her large green eyes were locked onto my brown eyes as she plucked the item right out of my hands. Her long pink hair flowed slowly behind as she rolled towards the cash register and bar scanner.

"So, you ruined you wheels again?" She asked a I groaned, "Did you have to ask Simca?"

Yes people, in front of me is none other than the girl that gave me a kiss on the cheek four months ago. The very same girl that allowed me to get some free cash from those frog helmet punks; and this very same girl, believe it or not, is a year older than me. Yep, she's eighteen and legal you closet perverts.

"Aw, did I ruin little tweetie's feeling? Does Tweety need a kiss on the boo boo?"

Did I mention that she's a shameless flirt? I dunno, maybe it's just me? Because whenever other guys that tried to hit on her, she denied them big time. Maybe it's because I "saved" her from those frog faced freaks, or maybe it's because she knows that I really don't have much interest with her...even though she has a hot bod. Oh, I put the quotation mark around save because...well...

...where to start? I could tell you guys about how Simca purposely piss those guys off for her own fun. I could mention that she did steal something those frog face freaked, which technically makes it her fault for being chased in the first place. I could mention about how she sometimes sends other guys to hunt me for her own pleasure...gosh there are so many stories that I could tell with her. Heck, I can even make a fan fiction about it!

"Well right now, Tweety needs his wings, so hurry up." She pouted. Did I mention that I'm one of the biggest mood killers/unconscious cock blocker in the history of tension breakers? Don't worry if you guys thought that you guys were bad, I'm worse.

"You sure you don't want a kiss Tweety-chwan?" And there's another thing I don't understand about the Japanese culture, it's the weird suffix things that they place in the end. What, do they think they're adorable or something when they do that? God, so weird...it's almost as weird as those fan girls that go gaga over effeminate boys back at Korea.

...damn, I'm Korean. Crap, I just dissed my own countrymen.

"I'm sure Simca, and how many times do I have to tell you to stop putting the suffix crap at the end?" I complained as she laughed. "Well, I got something better to treat your little boo boo anyways."

"Oh and what's that?"

The pink haired teen smiled brightly at me...which I find very frightening for some odd apparent reason. My fear was something to be weary about, because she gave me a bright smile before hugging me. Now this doesn't sound all that bad...but she shoved my whole face against her breasts.

"This!" she announced with enthusiasm. I flailed around, as my arms swung in the air, she finally let go, as I took a deep breath. "Damn, were you trying to kill me with those breasts?" I demanded as she blinked. "I thought boys liked boobs these days?"

"When you about to kill someone with them, they don't tend to be enjoyable." I said, while fixing my collar. She blinked before asking a very intelligent question...

"Are you gay?"

"What do you think?" she stifled a giggle as I payed her the necessary amount of money for the AT wheels before popping them out of the package, "You got a screw?" She rummaged underneath the counter and got out what I asked for. I quickly got out my AT's before unscrewing the bolts on the rear wheels.

"So, you coming to the meeting tonight?" She asked as I began to attach the new wheels on the ATs. "After I get to the Glum Slum, I need to replace these crappy wheels before I go there."

"Crappy?"

"Granny makes better gears for her custom wheels." I simply told her as I handed back the screwdriver to her. "Thanks." I simply said as she gave me a smile. "Come back anytime."

"As long as you don't shove your boobs on my face, we're good." She gave me a sly smirk, which lead me to believe that this won't be her last time to tease me...

...well it's not like I don't enjoy them at times.

* * *

I slowly walked up the steps to the dorm home, only to watch Ikki run out of the door.

"What the..." I muttered as I watched him run off down south towards the park.

"Ikki, wait!" I hastily moved out of Ringo's way, who quickly apologized me, as she followed the crow haired teen with a worried expression on her face. I merely shook my head as I walked into the house.

"I'm back." I called out as I took off my shoes and neatly putting them away. The Noyamano sisters were standing out in the hall, looking at the door as I point outside. "So, Mikan, how hard did you beat his ass to make him run away?" the pink haired, ramen eating, girl scoffed.

"If I was the reason that made him run, then he would have left the house ages ago."

"Good point." I dropped my bag to the side. "So what happened then?"

"Ikki lost a fight, and had a fire cracker shoved up his ass; so he's bitching about it." That... made me blink.

"Wait...Ikki lost?" Rika merely sighed. "Don't tell me you actually thought that he would be unbeatable or something."

"I mean, with the constant ass whipping that you guys give him, I thought he'd be invincible or something." I confessed, the sisters laughed as I handed the groceries to Rika. "I got a raise today, so I got some Samgyeopsal (A popular Korean dish; pork belly meat {A.K.A. Bacon}) for dinner tonight." Mikan's smile grew as she gave me an one armed hug.

"Damn, you just gave yourself a reason not to get your ass whipped today!" She said as I blinked. "Why-"

"Ikki was watching our tapes again." That made me roll my eyes.

"Why am I not surprised." I muttered as I scratched my head. "Heck, I'm surprised that he hasn't bought a pair of AT's yet." I muttered, not noticing Rika stiffen up. "Well I'm going to go and wash up a bit, I smell like tomato sauce." I picked up my book bag off the ground before walking upstairs. It's going to take a whole lot of time before Glum Slum opens up, so I might as well wash up a bit and finish up my homework.

* * *

"...and finally, by moving the integral to the left by two, then the whole graph will move by two to the left." I finished as I looked at my Calculus homework. Closing the book I looked at the time on the clock and scratched my head. "Almost time to leave." I whispered as I placed my books back into my bag. Stretching out my arms I cracked my neck to the sides and got off the chair.

"Might as well eat something before going to the Slum to get new wheels." I walked downstairs to get to the kitchen. On my way I saw the sisters eating the Samgyeopsal with a grin. "Hey Josh!" Rika called over as I looked at the dorm mom with a blink. "Want to join us? It's your meat after all." I simply gave the dorm mom a shrug.

"No thanks, I'm not all that hungry, I'm just here to get a small snack before getting out of here tonight."

"Your going out again?" Ringo asked as I nodded my head. "Yeah, so don't expect me to come home until later tonight." I told them as I looked over at the dorm mom, "Don't worry, I won't forget my spare keys again."

"Please don't," Rika said with a nod, "It's bothersome enough to try to find you so I can give you the keys." I looked at Ikki, who was drooling at the sight of the meat, while his rations of anchovies, yellow pickles and rice laid in front of him, completely forgotten.

"Let me guess, punishment?"

"For profanity and disrespecting us." Rika confirmed as I looked at Ikki again, his demonic face made any sympathetic thoughts in my head fly right out of my mind as I walked into the kitchen. Ripping two bananas off of the other bananas, I was going to go back to my room, only to watch in the corner of my eyes a piece of meat falling on the ground.

Ikki stared at the meat, panting like a dog...

...

...

"Well it's not like you have any dignity left!" Mikan said with a wave. "Go ahead, eat."

"Mikan." I warned, stepping away as I watched the only male teen in the room growl. It happened in a flash as the Samgyupsal flew in the air, the sauce hitting, vegetables and meat hitting everyone around. Including me.

Let me bold it again to show you all how much this affected me.

**INCLUDING ME.**

I felt my eyes twitched wildly as I took off my shirt, which was stain with massive oily sauce, as I walked in the room (I'm wearing a wife beater underneath my shirt, so no I'm not going to write how I have abs). Ikki was groping Ringo's breast. For some reason, that made me even more irritated.

"Ikki, you little punk. Not only did you ruin my shirt, but you also trashed ¥3500 worth dinner (45 dollars)." Luckily for me, and unfortunately for Ikki, everyone else (apart from Ringo) were pissed off at Ikki as well.

"You bad dog." A vein popped out of Rika as she slowly cracked her hands as Mikan snapped her chopsticks with her fist. "Your just asking for a death wish aren't you!" Picking up one of the bananas, I flicked the sauce off of it and cracked my neck.

"Rika, I'll get you some more fruits; just let me use this banana to shove it up this guy's firecracker'd ass." Rika stood up as she glared at the boy, while grinning evilly. "I'll get his arms, I've been wanting to do a new arm bar maneuver on someone for a while now."

"I'll get his legs!" Mikan announced as we slowly made our way towards the very scared teen.

"Ume, lock the doors so he won't get away!"

"Ringo, close the window!"

"Whose ready for an Ikki Minami banana split sunday?"

"NOOOO!"

* * *

"So you shoved a banana up that boy's butt?" The larger woman, who owned the Glum Slum, asked as she typed away on her computer. Checking the gear on the wheel, she slowly adjusted the gear on the wheel before sealing it.

"The bastard deserved it for ruining my shirt and dinner. I paid good money for that meat." I muttered as I tried on one of their newer clothes. "Damn, and it was my favorite one too."

"Pre-Teen's, what are you going to do with them." The woman said as I brought the casual looking, dark navy, sweater and white shirt to the counter as I brought out my Glum Slum point card. "Well, your wheels are fixed; I also added in an extra torque so you can go a bit faster." She said as she took the card and scanned it. Placing the necessary amount of cash on the table I quickly took off the tag before taking off the wife beater.

"The punk even got my undershirt." I quickly put on the new shirt before putting on the sweater. Looking in the mirror I groaned as the woman handed me aloe gel, without looking up from the cash register.

"You headed to the meeting?" She asked as I grabbed the bottle. Squirting some on my hand, I fixed up my hair before looking back at her. "There's really nothing else I can do except to go to the meeting." I muttered as I handed the gel back to the woman.

"You at least know where it is right?"

"In the fountain at the west of the Tokyo right?" She merely nodded before handing me back my AT's. I took the AT's before getting on the ground to slip them on.

"It's strange." She began as I began to loosen up the buckles. "You are an exceptional storm rider, but your not in a team." She muttered, while smoking her pipe.

"Is that a problem?" I asked her as she shook her head. "Not a problem, but very curious." She said with a shrug, as I finished buckling up. Getting off the ground I looked at the older woman before taking out my Aviators. "Well, thanks for fixing up my ATs."

"Next time, try not to ruin the rubber on the wheel, they're much harder to replace." The woman warned.

"I'll try no to." I covered my eyes with the aviators; with that I skated on out of here, grinding on the train tracks.

If I had stayed a bit longer, I would have saw Ikki crashing into the Glum Slum counter.

* * *

"Josh! You came!" Simca replied joyfully as she skated over towards me. She looked at my clothes and frowned. "Your still not in a team?"

"Seriously, why is everyone so hell bent on getting me in a team?" I asked as she giggled. I looked at her, noticing the stamps on her clothes. Some of them on her ass, but surprisingly, that wasn't the important fact...

"Simca, seriously? This is a meeting, not a place to hold matches." I said as I picked up one of the unopened water bottles off the ground.

"Can't help it, I just love it when two teams are going to duke it out." One of the skaters tried to place a sticker on her breast, but with a smooth turn, the sticker simply landed on her back.

"Any particular reason why your not letting anyone put their stamp on your boobs?"

"It's reserved." She simply said as one of them called out to her. She skated on over, as the man smacked the team's stamp on her ass. Now there's five stamps on her ass.

I rolled my eyes as I uncorked the water bottle. "Ass and breast, damn that woman is more of a tease than Arisu." I muttered as I sipped on the bottle of water.

"Um excuse me?" Only for it to be immediately spat out.

"HEY!" One of the riders screeched as I looked over at Simca.

"When the heck did his ass heal up?" I asked myself with disbelief as Simca skated pass me. "The fu-" I yelped as Ikki pushed me aside.

"Punk, doesn't he recognize me?" I muttered...only to smack myself. "I'm wearing a hood and aviators, who would recognize me?"

I watched as Ikki, pitifully, chased Simca on his...AT's? Since when did Ikki get a pair of AT's? Also how did he even manage to get here, the Noyamano residence is miles away from here. Just by watching his sorry excuse of a run is making me wonder just how he even got here-

"Close!" I lowered my hood to cover my already hidden eyes. This was just too hard to watch-

"OH YEAH!" Ikki screamed as I groaned, did he really have to make a big deal about putting a stamp on Simca's body-

"You see that! That guy put up a challenge!" That instantly made me take off my Aviators. Sure enough there was a stamp on top of another...

...oh crap, does Ikki even realize what he just done? I looked over to the said teen, he looked just as confused as I was.

This...is not going to end well. Definitively not.

"Not bad for a newbie, to take on the Skull Sader without any team members." Cold sweat began to pour out of my face as I watched Ikki blush and take Simca's comment as a complement. You idiot! How could you post up a challenge without any team members! I groaned as Ikki asked if he really had to fight, "Of course you do idiot, you placed the stamp over someone else's team."

From the corner of my eye I saw a team of skaters with purple rain coat and white masks skate up towards Ikki and Simca, saying some nonsense about...oh wait, are these the guy that shoved firecrackers up Ikki's ass? I found my respect growing for that team.

"Simca!" I heard a male, cockney accented, voice rang out as we all looked over towards a flame colored haired AT rider, with a fur collar blazer that matched with his dark pants, and surprisingly bright red shirt. "I told you this isn't a game, so stop screwing around!"

Thank you! Someone here actually thinks the same way I do!

"Why don't you mind your own business Spitfire!" That made me reel in shock, he's Spitfire? The Spitfire! One of the Eight King, Spitfire? What's a legend like him doing here! Apparently the leader of the team didn't think the same way I did, as the team started to pull down their masks.

"Listen here you arse we're not here to-"

Cue the lights and smokes.

"Crap! It's the cops!" I screamed as the riders began to panic around everywhere. I looked around, trying to find Ikki or Simca-

"Hey hold it!" One of the cops jumped. My instincts took over as I stopped the man by gutting his gladiolus with my elbow. Although padded, I heard him gasp as he fell onto the ground.

"Oh great! First I'm going to get arrested for wearing AT's and now I'm going to get my ass busted for assaulting an officer!" I pinched my nose in frustration as I skated around other riders-

"Bring it on you baldie!"

Cue facefault.

"IKKI, ARE YOU SERIOUS!" I roared as I watched the boy leave. "Damn it!" I muttered. I was about to skate over when something caught my eye. Looking down I saw a badge...no wait...an emblem? I kneeled and picked it up off the ground...

"Oh you've got to be kidding me..."

In my hand was the same emblem that Ikki was holding earlier, the same emblem that Ikki had when he smacked the stamp on Simca's ass.

**Sleeping Forest**

* * *

**Third POV**

"A road of wings!" Ikki silently thought to himself as he flew over the electric wires. Did flying ever felt this good? Was this the reason why everyone was flying with AT's? Just what else did he miss?

"No way in hell punk!" Suddenly the rookie found him legs chained up as the road that he saw slowly shimmered away. No. NO! Ringo and the others trusted him to win damn it! This can't be the way for it to end! He can't! Not after getting this far-

Wait...what's that noise?

Ikki looked down as a blue blur leaped right as him.

"WOAH!" He screamed as he tried to move his legs, but because they were bind together, the only thing he could do was to just lift them up together. Suddenly the rider turned as he smashed his AT's onto his. Ikki stared at the rider in confusion, as he got a better look at the rider. Wearing a blue hoodie, his eyes were covered with mirror aviators, however some part of his hair was dangling out of his hood as the sparks on his AT's showed the contrast of his blue sweater with his dark colored pants. But one of the things that stood out was the Emblem that was attached onto his left breast...

**Sleeping Forest **

"A member of Sleeping Forest?" Ikki thought to himself as he felt time go slower around him.

"Hey you shitty crow," The rider began as he crouched down, the mysterious rider's AT grinding onto his own a whole lot faster, "Your friends just kicked that team's ass, are you going to let that go to waste!" He demanded as Ikki's wheels suddenly grind the same speed as the riders.

"Get your ass in gear and fly!" He roared as he pushed the rookie off of him with a strong kick.

**Rider's Special! Reverse Hangman to Assist - Kick Push!**

"Ah!" Ikki screamed as he felt himself being flung into the air. The chains were unraveling off of his legs as he felt himself twist in the air. The teen slowly landed on the electrical wire as the AT's began to grind once more.

Once again, Ikki found himself in a familiar position...he was back on the road.

* * *

**First POV**

"The stage is now yours, Ikki." I muttered as I crashed onto the railing. I clenched my teeth, biting my lips down hard, as I struggled to get up off the ground.

Damn...I'm going to be feeling that for a damn week or two.

Spitting out the blood in my mouth, I sat down on the side as I looked over to my right. I couldn't help but to chuckle as the rookie rider crashed into the Neon sign. "Guess even after all that...he's still a rookie to the end."

Suddenly I heard a familiar noise. A noise of which I'm all to familiar with. I looked up to see three very familiar looking girls stare down at me.

"Alright you bastard," the spunky one on the right began, "give us back our emblem before-"

"Here." I simply tossed it to the one in the center, who caught it with two hands. They blinked, "Ikki dropped it when he rushed out of the meeting, I followed him to give it back to him when he won, but..." I looked over at the chains that was wrapped around Ikki's legs earlier.

"I couldn't help but to help the little birdie out." I confessed as I slowly got off the ground. I heard a crack. Damn it! My aviators are broken.

"Wait...how do you know Ikki?" the girl on the left demanded as I sighed. "Seriously Ringo, are you that dense?" I asked as I took off the glasses. "It's me?"

"Josh?" Ume asked, "I didn't know you ride AT's." I cracked my neck before spitting out more blood. Great, I bit my lip too hard- ow...damn that hurts.

"Look, I'm tired, and my back is really killing me because of that fall, so I'm going to go back home a'right?" Without letting them respond, I activated my AT's and skated on out of there.

Damn, even leaning forward is a freaking pain!

* * *

Trick info:

**Reverse Hangman: **The rider flips a 180 degrees; with his head pointed at the ground, his body is positioned upside down, the rider is given three more seconds on his Air Time before plummeting towards the ground. Caution: when practicing this move, make sure to practice it above soft ground.


	9. Chapter III

I don't own Air Gear. The franchise is owned by Ito "Oh Great!" Ōgure, everything else is my own creation.

* * *

**Shinjuku, Japan  
Time: 11:53 A.M.  
Date: April 16**

Three days went by, and I still haven't heard anything about the match, but judging from how things got quieted down about Skull Sader, I'm guessing that he beat them flawlessly. I was worried that I might have kicked him too hard, but he's "Baby Face". He won't whine about something like that.

"Joshua-san!"

Again with the damn suffixes, when are these guys going to get the hint that other people don't like to have those retarded suffixes on the end? I mean, really! Not even Korean have those suffixes. People say that those Japanese suffixes makes what Japan is, but in all honesty? I think it's retarded. If your going to go with the first name basis, then seriously what's the point of putting honorific endings? It's like being proper and improper at the same time-

"JOSHUA-SAN!" Stopping midway of my mental rant, I glanced at the teacher in front of me, a female teacher whose about twice my age with glasses which matched up with her reddish-brown hair which she keeps in a loose ponytail with long strands hanging down in front of each ear. Oh and what kind of world would this be if the woman wasn't hot? There must be something that these Japanese people are putting in their food for women's to get a bod like that-

"Now that I got your attention, could you please enlighten us what these two muscles are in the back of the thigh-"

"They're the semimembranosus, and semitendinosus. There's another muscle in there called the biceps femoris. The function of those muscle is to perform the knee flexion-"

"I think that's enough." The physiology teacher interrupted as I stopped and shrug.

"Ok, Miss Kikyo." Her left eye twitched behind her glasses as one of the student elbowed me in the rib, "Josh, it's Ms. Kyoko." I blinked.

"Really? I was pretty sure that it was Kikyo-"

"Well, your assumption is wrong." The teacher snapped back as everyone in the room laughed. I scratched my head before going back to my little doodle. I don't pay attention to most of what we do here. No that doesn't mean I don't care about school...crap, lemme rephrase that. I don't pay attention to this particular subject. Everything else I make sure I understand fully.

Wonder if Ms Kikyo is pissed that I don't pay my full consideration in her class but in others...

...yeah she would be irritated. I mean, I would too if someone did that if I thought. Theoretically.

*Ring*

"Alright, make sure you guys study for the test on Friday, apart from that, relax." Ms titty tits announced as she left the class. We all brought out our lunch before moving out of the classroom to eat with our friends or by ourselves. I picked up my baggy lunch and walked over to one of the seats next to the window. Yes people, I'm quite a loner. Sounds very generic right? It's not that I don't like company, it's...well, I tend to shy away from other people's conversation, which makes me feel, in the end, a third wheel.

Bitting out of my panini, I thought back at the match that Ikki had last night. At first I thought he was going to lose...but then after seeing that level of grinding...

Just where the hell did he learn to grind like that? On an electric pole, to add the mystery?

"Hey, Josh." I turned around to see Mikan with her arms crossed. That's right, she goes to this school doesn't she? Not in the same class as me, but still, same school.

"Is there something you need?" I asked her as everyone in the class stared at her. Just because I know that I'm living with the family doesn't mean that other people know about it. So now I'm already hearing murmurs about "secret love affair" and all that bull-

"Shut up! I'm trying to talk here!" Mikan roared at our "audience" as the turned back to their lunch, but still giving us a few glance over the shoulder. She groaned as I packed up my lunch. "Look, this place isn't a good place to talk, so I'll meet you upstairs or something. You know, the usual generic rooftop that you Japanese people go to-"

"Yeah I get it!" The magenta haired Storm Rider muttered as she turned around, only to be stopped by her arm being grabbed. Turning around she looked at me with an irritated gaze.

"You mind helping me up?" I asked sheepishly, "Last night fall kind of busted my back a bit, so it kind of hurts to try and get up." I told her as she rolled her eyes, "You should have gone to the doctors or something."

"Well, I didn't." I snapped back, as she tugged me up with her forearm, that I latched on earlier. I groaned as I stood up. "Damn...I'm pretty sure I didn't bust anything there."

"If you did, then you wouldn't be walking now would you?" She asked as we left the room, under the curious gaze of our peers.

* * *

"So what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?" I asked her as I took another bite of my, now-cold, sandwich. The pink-haired dorm mate slurped her ramen before she placed the bowl on the ground.

"What do you know about Sleeping Forest?" She asked as I stared at her blankly. "Apart from you and your sister being part of the team? Nothing else." For some odd reason, she looked relieved when I told her this, but quickly hid that emotion away as she went back to her curmudgeon personality. "The disciples of the Skull will fall asleep in the forest?"

...

...

...

"What?" She rolled her eyes, "Skull Sader broke the code of the Storm Riders. They refused to relieve their emblem to us, and now are acting like as if this whole thing didn't even existed."

"And...this affects me because?"

"We're going to kick their ass like they have never been kicked before." She smirked, "You in?"

"I wish I could, but..." I point at my back, "What good am I if I can barely even stand up right?" I asked her as she blinked. "Oh right, your back."

Your just realizing that! Damn woman, I thought you were smarter than Ikki! I groaned as I slowly laid my back onto the reserve tank, hearing the water slush around in the tank.

"So I looked up on you on the blog," Mikan began as she chortled, "Never knew you were a celebrity in Shinjuku."

If she meant my little Pizza delivery thing, then yeah I guess I am one.

"I also read on various of forums that you were offered to join some teams, but denied every time." She continued as I looked at her and groan. "I'm not going to tell you my life story."

"You don't have to, I'm just stating the facts."

We sat there quietly, as the winds joined in the symphonic noise of the water slushing and Mikan's raman slurping.

"I used to be in a team." I began as I gently moved my back on the reservoir, trying to get more comfortable. "I mean, we weren't even a big name team, just your average 'fun' team. We were that sort of team, that just didn't give a damn about anything about what was going on in the Air Trek world you know?" I continued on as I took another chunk of my panini into my mouth. Crunching the vegetable with the cacophony noise of the noises around me.

"It...wasn't so bad...until our leader...betted our emblem..." I swallowed before throwing the rapper over the fence. "The rest is history."

"So your not in a team because you lost a team?" She questioned as I laughed. "Pretty much."

"Sounds kind of cowardish, don't you think?" My laughter died out as I uncorked my water bottle.

"I didn't think much of the team, I didn't even take it seriously; thought it was just some sort of a weekday club you know?" I confessed as I sipped and gurgled the water in my mouth, getting all that chunk that was in between my teeth.

"But...when they cried about losing their emblem...when we had to disband...I don't know. I joined the band wagon and cried with them, it was...painful." I chugged the bottle down, damn it! Now it's staring to get freaking depressing. I mean, I was depressed before, but thinking back on something that made me depress is something I really don't want to do.

Heck, I'm still depressed with how I got two F's on my progress report. I placed the empty bottle next to the metallic reservoir as I used the metal baring on the tank and got up. "So...I decided from then on, that I wouldn't join a team. It's a coward way out, but I really don't want to see those expression again..."

"Never huh?" Mikan asked as she picked up her empty bowl. "Well...let me tell you something about AT's and teams..." She walked over towards the steel ladder. Stopping right in front of it she turned around and point at me with her chopsticks.

"Once you're part of a team, and they disband, you'll be dying to join another one."

* * *

**Shinjuku, Japan  
****Time: 3:28 P.M.  
****Date: April 17**

"It's a miracle that you didn't shatter your clavicle and spine!" My doctor admonished as I looked at the X-Rays while I felt her gently rubbing my back. "Slamming your shoulder and lumbar onto the train tracks! God I wonder why there hasn't been a ward for Storm Riders yet..." She muttered as she began to work on my shoulders. My doctor said that it's to relief the tension on my bruise. The problem was that no one checked up on it when I fell. So the massage can only do so much.

Translation: touch it and it'll freaking hurt, leave it alone and it'll be a constant pain in a butt.

"Hey Dr. Makigami, rub it more gently will- OW!" I suddenly screamed as I looked over. My mouth dropped. "Did you just stab me with your elbow?"

"It's to release tension of that knot on your back and shoulder. I've used knuckles and fist, but none of them are working." She said as I stared at her with disbelief. "Your kidding?"

"I'm a doctor, I rarely kid." The said woman told me as she continued with her massage. I groaned, before relaxing to the therapeutic treatment. Half an hour later she got off of me and stretched out her arms. "Whew, that's a work out. Most of the day I would work with overly-obese and their flabby skin and fat. It's a treat for me to work on someone with actual muscles." She comments as she started to write someone on a paper. I tried to get off of the bed, only to feel a sharp stabbing feeling in my lower back.

"Oh crap!" I screamed as I immediately dropped to the bed. Damn that hurts!

"I'm not surprised, although you didn't snap your lumbar vertebrae, it is significantly bruise." She said as she handed me my prescription. I looked at it, and blinked.

"Ibuprofen! I'm in massive pain here and all your giving me is Ibuprofen?"

"Be lucky that your even getting any pain killers." My doctor reprimanded me as I looked at the paper with disbelief. "I'm pretty sure I'm going to need something stronger like Celebrex or Vicodin."

"Way too strong, one dose and you'll be high for the rest of the day." I slammed my head onto the pillow before looking back up at the conch hairstyle doctor.

"Least give the decency to give me some right now..." I muffled through the pillow as she rolled her eyes. "Why are men's such babies?"

"We don't have a freaking vagina to feel pain every month, so don't expect us to have high pain tolerance." She blinked. "Your pretty knowledgeable about the human body."

"I'm usually good with physiology and the chemical in the bodies. I'm also good with the physics of it too."

"Going to be a doctor someday?" She asked as I sighed. The question of whether or not I actually thought of my career still haunts me. My parents are asking about it, my counselors are talking to me about it, hell even my friends back at the US are demanding me what I wanted to be. So I just gave her my usual answer: the answer that I've been giving to everyone for the past few months at the USA.

"I don't know...I'm still deciding."

* * *

"~Lets get you raggy rags, and put it together with my needles!" I heard Ume sing as I took off my shoes and placed them into the shoe rack. "I'm back!" I called out as I picked up my bag and swung it over my good shoulder.

"~Stick cottons for your flesh, and make you all pretty!" I shivered as I listened to Ume's lyrics. Nothing against her, she nice and pretty (no pedo), but sometimes she scares the living crap out of me with her songs. I walked through the halls, as I heard other voices ring out.

"Umm...Ringo? About the next part of the walk-"

"Forget it!" I heard Ringo snap at Ikki, "Why don't you just go fall and die on a corner of a tofu!" I winced at the barb, damn Ikki just what the hell did you do this time? I mean it's one thing to piss me, Mikan and Rika off, but to piss off Ringo? He must have done something really stupid to pull that off.

"Another lover's spat?" I commented as Ringo began to stammer as I walked into the room, Putting the bag on the ground I looked over my shoulders and smirked. "Man, you two would make a fabulous couple."

"W-Were not dating!"

"I was being sarcastic." I rolled my eyes. Usually I'm not a sarcastic person, but taking two pills of Ibuprofen and still feeling slight pain tends to change a person.

"So what did the doctor say?" Ume asked me as I took out the plastic bottle that are filled with the Ibuprofens. "Told me to take two of these every four hours and on the fifth hour of the medication she told me to massage the bruise. If I do it right, I'll be fine in about a week or so." I explained as I cracked my neck to the side.

"Then...should you not be doing that?" Ringo asked as I shrugged. "Took two of them two hours ago, I can do whatever till then; meaning if I want to crank my neck then I can do that." I told her as Ikki slowly walked over towards Ume.

"Um...Ume, will you teach me Air Tre-"

"No!" Ume snapped which I laughed at. "Shot down by a ten year old. Keep this up and you'll be forced to be gay for the rest of your life." I joked as he glared at me.

"You know..." Ringo began as she stared at me suspiciously, "Your awfully rude today."

"Ibuprofen makes people high." I simply told as I looked at Ume sewing the doll. "So, is making dolls your hobby or something?" I asked her as she hummed. "In a sense, yeah." The ten year old answered my question as she nibbled on the string to get it off.

"Your really happy today." I commented as she giggled, "That's because today is the day I finish my one hundredth memory doll!" I whistled at the astronomical number of dolls that she made.

"Wow, one hundred? When did you start?"

"Since I was eight!" She replied joyfully as her expression changed to a smug look. "Anyways, Ikki, you were thinking 'I'm going to master Air Treks in one day and show my ignorant class what I'm capable of!' something like that right?" At this, Ikki reeled back in shock. "Holy crap! How did you-"

Shoving the doll onto Ikki's face, Ume laughed. "Did you know it took Ume two to three days to master all of that? Too easy!" She proudly announced as Ikki began to fume.

"Ume says," a high pitch voice came from Ume's direction, "That you lack major talent!" I laughed really hard at that. If Ume can ride ATs, make dolls and have ventriloquist skills? Then yeah, Ikki, you have absolutely no skills whatsoever.

Seeing him seething in rage, I decided to defuse his anger by placating his ego. "Look Ikki, it's natural for any riders to crash on their first time. I mean it took me a whole freaking week to even try and find out how to move front and back, and another week to even walk." That made him blink, as he turned to me with his mouth wide open.

"Wait...your a Storm Rider too?" He asked as I point at the medication. "I busted my back when trying to do a skill." I lied, not wanting to tell him that it was me that saved his ass. He looked at me with a serious look; I couldn't help but to grin at the sight of Ikki contemplating on what I said. Maybe it really is a guy thing, I mean Ikki rarely does anything stupid around me; so I guess it's a bro thing...

...no homo.

"If your home, then hurry up and help!" Mikan yelled, slamming the hot iron pan on Ikki's head. Hearing the sizzling burn made me wince as Ikki screamed in pain.

"Ume. Ringo. Josh." I looked up, hearing my name as Mikan smirked. "It's steak night!" We looked at her for a second...

I got off of the ground, rolling my shoulders a bit. "Sorry Mikan, but I'm going to skip dinner for tonight." I picked up the medications off of the table. "I can't eat any meat because it might bring a clot in my bruise." I told her, "Besides, I might just throw up if I eat anything after I take these."

Mikan merely nods her head as I picked up my bag. "I'm going to get some sleep. These meds are making me tired."

"We'll leave you some leftovers!" Ringo called behind me as I waved her off. "Don't bother, I'm going to be eating carbs for the next few days."

Slamming the door behind me I dropped my bag and walked over to my bed with a sigh...

"...and it's that one day where we were all going to fly..."

With a scream of frustration, I threw the bottle at the wall, the tiny pellets of pills raining on the ground.

"Damn it! I really wanted to go too..."

* * *

I had a dream...a dream where I was standing on a building. The tallest building in the world. It was just me, and my AT's, and the song of the night. I heard the nightowls hoot. I heard grinds. I heard them birds sing.

I changed into one of those birds, a peregrine falcon, and simply dropped down towards the ground. I dropped and dropped, until I opened my eyes before I pulled up and fly. I flew in the sky, spinning and twirling in the air. Over and under wires, diving through crevices, and gliding between buildings.

I saw other birds migrating to their stations. I saw dogs barking at us. I saw a woman, being raped by a man.

Let her get raped. For I am just a bird; and birds can't stop fate. We're not vigilantes, we're simply owls that are soaring through the night sky.

I flew right besides a great horned owl with a small crow trailing right behind. His first flight? The crow must be terrified. I looked over towards the owl, he simply flew higher. I followed. The crow tried to come with us, but I can tell, he was tired. Don't give up little crow, you can do it. Join us. Join us in the world of the night.

"Look! There's a good moon today!" The owl hooted as I flew right beside him, "The sun lord is no good, he's to harsh on us. His glare blinds us." The great owl hooted with wisdom as I turned around and looked at the crow, he was flapping his wings so hard, I thought they were going to snap.

"Heilos shines on things that he doesn't need!" He continued as I dodged through the many wires that blocked my way. "He creates unnecessary shadows that brings weight on us!"

I glided up, speeding my wings as I looked down. The crow wasn't a crow...

...it was just a disgusting worm. A worm for tonight's dinner.

"Insignificant!" The owl screeched, "Your truly insignificant! Why did you come to this world tonight! Do you fly for something so insignificant!" He demanded as I flew higher and higher. "What do you hope to gain by crawling on the ground, the earth all day like an earthworm!"

The world began to grow smaller and smaller as a flock of birds began to flock over. I was the only falcon in the group. However it didn't matter what race we were. It matter not what we are. What we were in the morning, or what we are at night.

The night is ours. It's not for the faint heart; so those that venture into our world, be warned. For those "Heroes" like Batman and Robin won't stop us. They can't stop us because we're with mother nature.

We're the Storm Riders.

"Little crow!" I heard the Great Owl sing, "The ones you seek are right in front of you! Make haste!"

"Fly with death on your side!" another continued.

"Flap your wings, before you sink to the ocean!" I looked over at the baby crow before telling him mine. "Soar to the sky, and find your next meal. For if you don't, you will starve!" Each of the more experienced birds began to tell their own wisdoms as we rose towards the chasm. With a great flap, I soared to the sky as with the other birds.

"Fly little crow! Your wings are weeping!" The owl called as we chanted our own symphony of hoots and bird calls.

* * *

I yawned, while wincing as I slowly got off the bed. Grabbing two pills of Ibuprofen from the ground I popped them into my mouth before shaking my head.

"What a dream..." I muttered as I started to pick up the fallen pills that were still on the ground. After picking up the last one, I sealed the bottle and stretched, feeling my deltoids being pulled and stretched I released a breath of relief as I heard a pop. That felt amazing. Sure it'll hurt like hell later, but I took some Ibuprofen so I should be good for a while.

I slightly opened my door, only to see Ikki in front of the sister's room. He wasn't peeping... soon he closed the door, when I noticed something in his hands...

AT wheels.

Wait...there was something written on them...

"**Welcome to Nightmare."**


	10. Chapter IV

I don't own Air Gear. The franchise is owned by Ito "Oh Great!" Ōgure, everything else is my own creation.

* * *

**Shinjuku, Japan  
Time: 3:34 P.M.  
Date: April 21**

Like how Dr. Makigami instructed me, for the past three days I went to the nurses office to get my shoulders and back massaged every four hours back at school, while Ume simply hopped up and down on top of my back. It wasn't what I'd call a massage, but it's better than nothing. I also managed to tell Bocchino about my condition and he laid me off for about a week to get myself recovered.

Right now, my arms were spread wide apart while Ume was walking across my shoulders. "Man...that feels good (NO PEDO!)." I muffled through the ground as Ume continued to stomp across each of my shoulders before traveling down to my back.

"Want me to stop?" She asked as I hummed. "Yeah, you can get off." She merrily hopped off as I cracked my back by twisting from left to right. I cracked my neck before rubbing the back of my neck. "I owe you one Ume." I thanked as she simply grinned.

"Come back for more later, I mean it's a rare chance to actually do something fun like that! Not even Mikan allows me to walk on her you know?" I laughed as I walked out of the living room and go upstairs...

...only to find Ikki in Mikan's room.

"Ikki, just what the hell are you doing?" I asked as I saw Ikki with a thong on top of his head. "Dude...really now?" I had to question as the said teen looked at me and scratched his head. "Hey Josh!"

"Don't hey me!" I reprimanded him as I glared at the teen, "You know that Mikan will kill you for going through her stuff!" I screamed as the teen scratched his head. "Also, don't you think it's a little immature for you to put on someone's panty on your head-"

"What's this about someone putting my panty on Ikki's head?" We both froze, as the two of us slowly turned to Mikan who looked at Ikki...before the door that she used to open the door was crushed in her clutch. I wisely stepped away from the pissed off magenta haired Storm Rider as she cracked her fingers.

"Somehow, the time to send your sorry little crow ass to heaven finally came."

I don't know why, it might have been the Ibuprofen that I took just half an hour ago, but for some reason Mikan had demented horns growing out of her head while jagged sharp teeth began to grow out.

"Are you prepared? Itsuki Minami?" She growled as she stomped into her room...

I wisely closed the door behind them.

"Ume?" The youngest Noyamano girl poked her head out of the hall as I smiled. "Want to go and get some ice cream? (NO PEDO!)" She blinked.

"Not that I don't like ice cream or anything, but what's the occasion?" I point at Mikan's room, "Five. Four. Three. Two-"

"AAAAH!" Ikki screamed as I scratched my head. "I was two seconds off..." I muttered as I looked back at Ume.

"So...Ikki is getting his butt whipped by Mikan so what?" I shook my head. "Ume...I think Ikki is going to die today."

"Why is that?" Before I could answer, Mikan's scream echoed behind the door.

"HOW DO YOU LIKE IT! YOU STILL WANT TO PUT MY PANTIES ON YOUR HEAD!" Ume and I stared at the door, when suddenly we saw blood seeping out onto the floor...

"You know what, I suddenly started to have craving for strawberry ice cream." Ume announced as I nodded my head. "So it's not just me then. Good, I'm going to go get my wallet," I point at the door.

"You just wait out there for a minute ok?" She slowly nods her head as the ten year old steps out. I went back to my room and picked up the dark leathered wallet and was about to run out when suddenly a thought hit me...

...I opened the door to Mikan's door to see her shove Ikki's head into her panty drawer.

"WHAT?" She roared as I showed her my wallet.

"Me and Ume are going to get some ice cream, want anything?"

"Vanilla in a cone." She growled as she picked up the fourteen year old boy and piledived his head onto the floor. I nodded my head before closing the door...

"...yeah I'm going to get a double scoop for this one."

"MY COCCYX!" I heard Ikki scream. Sending a silent prayer for the poor sap I ran out of the house to see Ringo looking at the home, worried. "What did Ikki do this time?" Ume and I looked at each other...

"Ume, I changed my mind. Why don't we, as in you, me and Ringo, go to Yougurtland and get some frozen Yogurt."

"Actually I still wan ice-"

"WHEN I GET MY ICE CREAM, I'LL BE SURE TO SHOVE THE CONE UP YOUR LITTLE ASS!" We heard Mikan screech as Ikki's scream of terror and pain reverberated through the house walls...

"...actually I change my mind as well. Getting frozen yogurt is a great idea." Ume agreed.

"You know, I actually wanted to try their Apple Pie special." Ringo nodded as we left Ikki to the undertaker.

* * *

"Thanks..." Mikan took a spoonful of the plain vanilla, frozen, yogurt into her mouth as I looked at the...well...mangled form of Itsuki Minami.

May god rest his soul...

"Don't worry, he's not dead." I blinked in surprise. "Wait, you didn't finish him off?"

"Oh I finished him off alright." I saw his leg twitch as the magenta haired storm rider turned around and picked up what appears to be a wheel. "He would have died if I haven't noticed Ikki's AT's on my desk." Looking over her shoulders, there laid a black and yellow AT with parts and screws on the table.

"May I?" Mikan got off of the chair as I sat down and studied each pieces. Starting with the screws and gears, then moving to the bigger parts like the motor piece and the wheel. Looking at each piece for a second, I turned to Ikki and back at the wheels.

"Well...they're messed up that's for sure." I picked up the shoe part and point at the stem of the ATs. "The main stem has sand and rust, so it quickly broke down because of it." I gently placed the AT's back down on the table as I looked over towards Ikki and back at Mikan. "Still, I don't get why pillaging through your panties will solve anything about this messed up ATs."

"Apparently _it,_" Mikan jabs her foot into Ikki's ribs, "came in here and tried to find some spare parts, but I wasn't here." I smacked my face as I groaned.

"Ikki, are you a retard? Haven't you thought about the fact that you had Ringo or Ume? Hell I was here today and you didn't even bother coming to me?" Ikki slowly got his head out of Mikan's bed before he sat down and picked his nose.

"Well...I haven't seen you skate yet-"

"Your point?" I asked as he flicked the booger off to the side.

"You messed up your back too."

"Once again, your damn point?" I demanded my arms just twitching to wring this guy's neck.

"Well," Ikki began as he scratched his messy hair, "Doesn't that mean that you kind of suck?"

Silence reign the room as the three of us remained silent.

"Mikan?"

"Go ahead, it's not like he'll lose any more brain cells." Wrapping my arms around his waist, I bent backward, bringing crow over my body and slamming him onto the ground. Rolling over his back, I flipped him over before clutching both of my hands around his chin. With a roar I pulled him up half way, "You saying I suck? Is that it you punk! I at least can skate without falling on my ass you little bird crap!"

Ikki constantly slammed his hand onto the ground, calling for submission, but I didn't let go.

"Wow," Mikan whistled as she took in another spoonful of frozen yogurt in her mouth. "A german suplex to a camel clutch...very nice."

* * *

"You mean to tell me you haven't screwed around with your AT's?" I asked Ikki with disbelief. The frizzled-hair teen was in a pretzel like position as I tug his leg, instantly releasing him from that dreadful hold.

"It's no wonder your AT's broke apart then." Mikan announced as I got off of the near broken teen, "I'll be back." I called back as I walked out of the room, whew. Putting Ikki through those submission holds take a lot out of you. I walked a room down and opened the room to my door, picking out my AT's I walked back to Mikan's room and threw one of my AT to Ikki.

"Look at my Air Trek and see what's different about it." Ikki, not really knowing where I was getting with this, stared at the object with much confusion, "It looks like an ordinary Air Treks to me." Oh for the love of...

"Are you even looking at it?" I demanded as his vein popped out of his head, "Of course I'm looking at your AT's! I don't see what the deal is!" I groaned as I lifted the one I had in my hand. "Look, what makes an AT is not the looks on the top, but on he bottom!" I told him as he turned my AT's upside down, "Look at the wheels on mine and then on your own AT's." I pointed out as Ikki turned the AT's upside down.

"Listen, AT's aren't originally used as they are." I explained, "It's something you have to tune yourself in accordance to your style and purpose." I point at the rear wheel, "You have to upgrade one part at a time and make 'your' original ATs."

Ikki stared at the back wheels of the AT's, "Look, even if you don't fiddle around with the big parts, you'll find a huge difference even if it's just changing a small gear in a system you know?" I directed over towards mine.

"Now normally the bolt would have a hexagon like shape right? Mine however is changed with the set being an octagon like bolt. Meaning the brakes on my AT are a lot stronger, thats linked to the fact that my inner coil of the AT's have a better torque system, hence the reason why my main bolt is an octagon shape instead of a hexagon like." I pointed out.

"Woah..." Ikki picked up his own and compared the two, before nodding his head. "Wow, thats intense."

"You think that's intense? You should look at other people's AT's. Especially those that have been riding for more than a year or two." Mikan comments as I took back my AT from the injured birdie. "So have you been to the shop yet?" I asked as crow looked at me with a blank look on his face.

"You still haven't went to an AT shop..." I shook my head, "Ikki, sometimes I wonder if you have any common sense."

"Hey!"

"Regardless," Mikan interrupted as she put her jacket on, "From now on, you'll be looking for parts on your own so you don't have to annoy us with this again. For now," she smirked as she pocketed her hands, "We're going to look for the Jack Pot." She opened up the door as I pointed at it. "That's your cue to get out of here." Ikki hastily got out of the room as I picked up my AT's. Staring at them, I realized...

...these were the reason for my maturity over the months.

"On my own...that's what I've been doing for the past four months..."

* * *

"Finally better?" Arisu asked as I cracked my neck. "Not in the best physical form, but it'll do." I told her as Bocchino handed me my working cap.

"You got Pepperoni to deliver." he snapped as I slipped on my ATs.

"Gotcha boss."

"Hey Josh?" Just before I was going to skate out of here, Jouichi stopped me. "Um...can I ask you a favor?"

"Later, I need to deliver pizza, we'll talk after my shift is done." The teen merely nodded as I skated on out of the pizza house. Seeing from the corner of my eyes, the newbie was already getting his second batch...

He saw me, and gave me a smirked.

"Oh no, he did not just..." My back may still be hurting, but I am not going to be losing to a newcomer anytime soon!

* * *

Typing up the money in my account, I started to calculate how much money I have left in my banking account. So far, I have about five hundred thousand yen left in my banking account (about 6500 dollars). It's a lot but I need to save it for my rent, clothes, books and my three course meal. The pay here is good, but I'm going to need to find a way to make more money...

"Josh?" I looked up to see Jouichi with his arms crossed, what is he...oh right, the favor.

"What's up?"

He sat down and sighed. "Is there a place to crash at your place?"

Self-centered, blunt, and a punk. I could see myself in him a bit. A bit.

"Why?" Jouichi sighed. "Just answer the damn question-"

"No, I'm not going to answer your question unless you tell me."

"It's none of your business-"

"It is my business if your going to be living in the place where I'm at, because my landlady really hates self-entwined brats like you." He glared, before rubbing his forehead with his hands. "Drama in school."

"Doesn't mean your moving in."

"No, that's not it. There's something big going on in my school and I don't want my parents to get involved." he clenched his fist as he looked away, "I want them to be safe..."

That brought me back two steps. I take back what I said, I don't see myself in him. He's...not selfish at all. He's nothing like me. I disregarded my parents words and got myself in trouble because of it. I rarely listened and got myself in trouble, and look where it got me...

He's not being a douche to his family, this guys legitimately care for his family. I almost feel guilty for what I said.

Almost.

"Why didn't you ask Arisu."

"I barely even know her." He snapped, "Besides, how can I dorm with a girl...I mean we live in two different worlds."

"So you haven't slept with her."

"You have?" He sarcastically asked as I shrugged, "Cuddled would be a better term." He snapped his head up as I scratched my head. "I'm not a playboy, I'm just a guy who sometimes to life to have company around him." I shook my head.

"In any case," I snapped my computer shut. "I don't know if we have rooms left, but your welcome to follow me and ask the landlady herself." Packing up my computer I handed my bag to Bocchino who, in exchange, handed me another box of pizza.

"By the way." Jouichi glanced over as I slipped on my AT's. "Challenge accepted."

"Bring it on." He smirked as he picked up his pizza, before we both skated on out of here.

* * *

"I so beat you on that last delivery!"

"Did not."

"Did too!" That was pretty much our conversation with me and Jouichi as I led him through the neighborhood. We were almost at the dorm house, and not wanting to bring the guy without knowing him more I talked with him. The "talk" soon became a debate of "I'm better than you in this aspect of area." From education to preferences, from fight styles to life styles, from Air Treks to...well, delivering pizza with Air Treks.

"Why didn't you grind on that pipeline? It'll totally cut through most of Shinjuku and get to your place earlier?"

"I haven't been delivering that long," Jouichi reminded me as we entered the dorm. So far, he looks impressed.

"Hey guys, I'm home-" I stopped. Why did I stop? Well, Ringo was peeking in a room, while hiding behind the door, like a stalker. This sort of habit means only one thing...

...Ikki's back and he's doing something retarded.

Wait, Mikan isn't beating him up, but eating her ramen; maybe he's not being a complete moron. Thank god for that. I walked over and tapped Ringo on the shoulder. She jumped, quickly turning around to see who had scared her in her "Ikki-time".

"J-Josh? When did you get back?"

"Right now," I looked into the room, and blinked. Ikki was actually doing his own maintenance on his AT's? Wow, didn't think he'd hope onto to the whole "Build Your AT's" thing. From the looks of things, it looks like he's working with the wheels and the break system.

"So, how long has he been screwing with his AT's?" I asked, curious to know if he made any improvements. Ringo scoffed, "If you call screwing and unscrewing the bolt off of the breaks, more than half an hour."

Wait, Ikki's been screwing and unscrewing? That idiot...

"See if I help him any time soon..." Muttering incoherent things after that, Mikan walked over to my side. "So, what the hell did you do to make him so happy?" Mikan, in response, simply shrugged.

"Like I have any damn clue. He's been like that the whole time." She nudged me and points at the boy's wallet with her chopsticks. "Rika gave him his allowance, and he spent it all on wheels."

I smacked myself. Who, in the world, would spend all their allowance on the wheels? I mean, I would have if I didn't became more responsible and mature over those four months, but still.

"So, whose the guy behind you?" The magenta haired Storm Rider asked as I looked over at Jouichi, who came out of the kitchen with a nod. "That's my friend, apparently he's looking for a place to stay."

"Well, Rika ain't here right now, he'll have to stay in your room for the time being then." She, nonchalantly, waved at the teen who, in return, gave her a curated nod. The dark haired Pizza boy no. 2 (that's going to be his ridiculously long nickname from now on in the story) peered into the room, where he saw Ikki being...Ikki.

For some reason, that was the time Ikki decided to actually pay attention to his freaking surroundings. He looked up to see Jouichi in front of him... suddenly we found ourselves watching Ikki trying to punch the hell out of my co-worker.

"I'm going to kill you!" He roared.

...only to get kicked in the balls by Jouichi, and clotheslined by yours truly.

Ikki staggered, before landing his elbow onto Mikan's ramen. The soup splattered almost everywhere on Mikan, some of it was dripping onto Ikki who was trying to stop his fall. He did stop it, by grabbing onto Ringo's skirt...

...huh, didn't expect her to be wearing _those_ kind of panties...

...oh wait...pissed off Noyamano sisters...

Me and Jouichi slowly stepped away from the fuming girls.

"In our defense, Ikki is a complete dumbass."

* * *

"So your friend, Jouichi wants to stay here for the time being?" Rika asked as I nodded my head. Right now, him and me, were in the living room with Rika explaining the situation with him.

"So...what do you think Rika? Mind letting my junior crash here for a while?" I was a bit abashed to do this, it's not that I don't like Jouichi or something, but with Rika, it can get really awkward soon...

"Your junior? You two in a gang or something?"

Just like that, I found myself in an awkward situation.

"Um...no?"

"I just have some drama going on in my life ma'am," Jouichi cut in, "I didn't want my family to get involved with my own problems, thought it'd be smart if I left and not drag them into my mess."

Rika simply stared at us...which made me a bit unnerved at the sudden silence. Thankfully, she took a breath before she shook her head. "Why couldn't Ikki be like you guys?"

If I got a nickel every time someone said that, I wouldn't be working as a pizza boy.

"Speaking of Ikki, whatever happened to him?"

The two of us pointed at a burial that was just right outside of the backyard, with incense that smoked out from the stick and roses.

"He tried to sneak attack Jouichi. We countered, but he ruined Mikan's lunch and made Ringo flash at everyone involuntarily."

"...I see..." Jouichi scratched his head sheepishly, and bowed.

"I'm sorry, about beating up one of your tenants."

"Bah! Don't worry about it, everyone here has to beat up Ikki or else they'll go crazy." Rika assured him, as she pushed forward the contract, "Well, now that we got the issue of why you want to dorm here, let's get on with the contract-"

We paused at the sound of a tired moan. Turning to the source, the dirt that was on the manmade grave began to tremble. A dirty hand shot out as it grasped into a fist.

"...Rika, want me to get rid of the zombie-"

"No, it's ok." The eldest Noyamano got up and cracked her knuckles as she stepped outside. "Why don't you show your friend what to sign and the terms and polices of our dorm."

I nodded as Jouichi stared off...what the heck is he...

Turning to the direction he was staring off to, I blinked and looked back at him.

"I won't lie, Rika does have a nice ass."

He froze as the Junior year student looked at me with shock. "Don't worry. Your not the first, and definitively not the last, to stare at that woman's hot ass." Picking up his contract I placed it in front of him and point at a specific spot.

"Now there's a clause here called 'Whippin' Ikki's ass if you think he's a piece of shit'. This is here whenever Ikki is being a piece of shit..."

* * *

Great Scott! I feel fan-freaking-tastic!

Soaring in the air, I twisted my hip in a corkscrew as my whole body followed suit. Going through the small gaps between the support beams, I spread my arms like a pair of wings on a bird, and let the wind slow me down on my fall; and right before I land, I flipped midway before the back wheel caught onto the ground.

In a split second, I burst into speed as my AT skated through the traffic before I made a sharp right turn.

"Looks like your feeling better." Jouichi commented as we both skated through the streets of late night Shibuya.

"With doc's massages, and Ume stomping over my knots, how the hell could I not be?" Pushing down onto my AT's, I felt the Air Cushion exhaust all the air as I leaped high into the air. Kick both my legs up, I used the momentum of that very kick to flip over on top of a car. Not wasting any time, I leaped again onto another car, and then another car, and another.

"You should still be careful," Jouichi commented, as he followed right behind me, "Your still recovering man, and I really don't want to drag your ass back to the dorms."

"Drag my ass back to the dorm? Like that'll ever happen- What the hell?"

Power-slidding myself to a halt, Jouichi slowed down as he jabbed me with his finger, "What's up?"

"What the hell is Ikki doing?"

The two of us turned to the Mamurasaki Sports, where we, and a few dozen other people, looked at Ikki...staring into the store like some sort of stalker...

"...let's just slowly turn around and ignore the spectacle..."

"...right, we don't know that guy." There are times where I really wouldn't go along with someone trying to ignore others, I'm usually the type of guy to tell them to stop whatever the hell they're doing regardless if they're joking or not, but for this instance I have to agree with my co-worker. We didn't know this guy. After all, we don't want to be related to some stalker.

"We sure as hell don't know him."

"Right. We're two guys just enjoying Air Trek, and we're about to go home."

"He's not our room mate."

"Definitively not."

"Josh? Joichi? What the hell are you guys doing?" We both turned around to see Mikan who was not mad, but curious on why we were just talking about...well...pretty much nothing I guess.

"To answer your question -" I point back at Ikki, Mikan followed where I was pointing at...and slowly looked back towards me.

"We definitively don't know him." Joichi summarized.

"Agreed." The three of us immediately skated back home, not looking back to see Ikki getting his ass whipped by some guy in a dog helmet.


End file.
